I'm Buzz!

Tuesday night was our church's Pumpkin Carving Party, complete with kids in costume and their little parade. Each child got to walk across the stage and tell everybody who they had come dressed as. When it came to Arran's turn he bounded on to the stage and confidently stated his name when he was asked, then with equal enthusiasm and energy he told 'Uncle David' that he was Buzz Lightyear when it was quite apparent to all that he was, in fact, dressed as Woody. As everybody laughed he suddenly looked a little sheepish and embarrassed, bless him.

What the majority of people didn't realize was that all day he had excitedly been planning on dressing as Buzz, that had been his intention all along. However, at the last minute, his cousin had turned up without a costume and was upset. We offered to let him wear Arran's Woody costume (which we had brought with us as plan b, in case Bryttain decided she didn't want to be Tinkerbell after all), but he just became more upset, crying that he wanted to be Buzz. Without any hesitation Arran said

"That's OK, he can be Buzz and I'll be Woody".

In that moment I don't think I could have been any prouder of him. He gav up his costume without having to be asked, without any complaining or second thoughts. He's always been like that...even at a young age if another child would take a toy he was playing with, instead of crying or throwing a fit he would just say "That's OK" and find something else. Now he's not perfect, after a day of his little sister continually taking from him, he does have his limits and will eventually have a meltdown, but it takes a lot.

So his apparent confusion was totally excusable and understandable, once you know the background. He was Buzz at heart, but had sacrificed for his friend and appeared to be Woody. If only we were all a little more willing to sacrifice so easily and cheerfully.

Brtyttain was the perfect little Tinkerbell, complete with spunky attitude (no surprise there).

Here is the very cool grey/green pumpkin that our neighbour Joanne grew and gave to us, that they helped Daddy carve.