My Two-Year-Old, My Hero

In June my family had the opportunity to experience something common to most American children, but few Honduran children even dare to dream about: visiting the mecca of childhood, Disneyland.

Rey was graduating with his doctorate in Intercultural Studies from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena. Since we were only an hour and half away, why not pay a visit to a few theme parks?

It was the trip of a lifetime. The grandparents came along, as did Tim, Sarai, Alex and Malachi.

In addition to the inexplicable joy of meeting his heroes (Buzz Lightyear and Lightening McQueen), Elijah delighted in the rides, the scarier the better. Nothing was too fast, no airplane or flying elephant too high. I even tried to sneak him onto rides for older kids. His height helped him, until the workers at Legoland asked him how old he was. Not only could Elijah not lie (I wonder where he got that from?), but he was too shy to respond to the question. We had to exit the line, which was embarassing.

Elijah did sneak onto to one ride he should not have: the giant slide. I don't know what I was thinking letting him go on that; I'm scared of that dippy slide myself. Despite my trepidations, the first run occurred without incidence. Elijah stayed in his gunny sack and safely slid to the bottom with a huge smile on his face. The second run did not end so well. GP (my dad) went with him and I'm not sure exactly what happenned, but they both ended up tumbling down, out-of-control, until they formed a wimpering pile at the bottom. Elijah had a little rug burn on his side, but I think Grandpa was more scared than him.

I learned my lesson (I hope), about letting a two-year call the shots. But the fact remains that I am so proud of little Elijah's courage.

When it comes to driving, Elijah takes ofter his dad. He has some control issues about letting other people drive.