Landon News!

Landon had to go to the eye doctor last week. Not that he couldn't see or anything, but he was having a hard time making out some colors. I was really hoping that maybe he didn't know his colors too well, I know, that is unlikely seeing how he is almost 10 years old, but I can still hope. Turns out the fella has perfect vision and is colorblind. He is red/green colorblind moderate. Just like my brother. Ah, the things we inherit from family. The kid has been all down about it. He was convinced he was going to have to wear glasses to correct his problem. He just didnt think he would be cute with glasses. Such a simple solution, but we all know it can never be simple and this is just the way it is. His eye doctor (mean old fart) told him that it will probably gradually get worse the older he gets. Landon finally got a grasp on the whole situation after he fully understood what colorblindness is. He was excited that no glasses were involved (after we had told him that for a million times) he cheered up. He said that now he understands why he has a hard time matching his clothes up and why sometimes he can't see what is on the smart board at school (if written in a shade of red/green). He told us that he quit drawing (the kid can draw really well) because he was having a hard time picking out the colors to color his drawings. He then had a eureka moment and told us that he could still draw in pencil and in pen. (We caught him doing that early yesterday morning) He always seems at peace when he draws. We had thought that maybe he had quit drawing because of his Nina passing away. She always encouraged his drawing. He told us that he thinks of her when he draws. In fact, last year at his birthday party, his teacher had come and brought him an art set. A very nice one. He never has used it. We figured he would pick it up one day and draw. He still hasn't yet. Maybe he will get ok with not seeing the colors as they are and just color again on his drawings. Art can be whatever you want it to be. He had a sketch pad out the other day as well. It was one that his Nina had bought him before she got sick. He flipped thru the pages and just looked at the pictures he had drawn with her. He keeps it put away like it is made of gold.

James and I were complimenting him the other day for dressing and actually matching. He slyly grinned and told us that he didn't do it. His brother is helping him now with his clothes. We are coming up with a system to help him (when brother isn't here to do it for him). He told me that he hopes that his wife one day will understand (and not be colorblind herself!) so she can match his clothes up for him. We told him if he was in doubt, go for the denim shorts and any shirt will usually match. His birthday is coming up. He asked me to tell all of our family not to buy him any plaid shirts or anything that remotely has the color pink in it. He doesn't see pink well, but he told me he can just sense when something is that color and BOYS DONT WEAR PINK.

We were going to town the other day and Landon piped up from the back seat and told us that it wasn't so bad being colorblind. He says he knows that he will never get to be an astronaut or fly a plane, but as long as he could see the white baseball coming at him and could still read his Bible (even the words written in red--I think we will have to highlight) and preach and spread the word about God and Jesus, he was going to be ok. That's my boy.