Zac on Zac: Sixteen

Where to begin about how amazing this 16-year-old is?  Really.  Zac is one of the best kids I know, and it's not just maternal bias saying that.  He is witty, intelligent, kind, good-hearted, easy-going, thoughtful, generous, faithful and really just so good.  Let's just get his only faults at 16 out of the way: he struggles with reflecting how smart he is in his grades, and his danged screen overuse is an eternal struggle--he could play video games for hours and think it's been 15 minutes if we didn't restrict him.  Now that that is over with, just to keep it real, let's move on with his awesomeness.  Here's an example: the other day, after his birthday party, we thought all of his friends had been picked up, but his girlfriend, Mickey, knocked on the door and said she had thought that her parents were closer than they actually were, but they wouldn't be here for at least another 10 minutes.  So we sent her up to hang out with Zac in his room--ONLY because Ben and Josh were also in there.  However, suddenly, the younger boys decided to actually do what I had asked them to do a few minutes earlier, and left to go to bed.  I was in our room folding laundry and realized that Zac and Mickey were alone in his room.  So, while trying to come up with a way to hang out with them that wouldn't be awkward, I walked into the hall--only to find that he had sat down with her in the hallway outside his door and they were both petting Ruby, chatting.  All on his own.  I tell the boys all the time that actions speak so much louder than words, and that choice spoke volumes to me about his character and the trust we could place upon him.  Zac is a positive light in the world that draws other people to him.  He is kind and does not pick and choose who is worthy of his light, but shares it with all.  He has an easy laugh and a friendly demeanor.  He is incredibly smart, loves computers and logic, and has found a love of programming (even with a terrible teacher) in the past year that has influenced his future career goals.  Zac cannot wait to get his license (January 13th is the test date) so he can drive himself around, but doesn't love the manual transmission in the car he will drive.  He is an incredible brother, a great example to them all and the one who has the most patience with the irritation of the younger boys' behavior at times. He's always trying to find ways to include Luke, even when Luke is being prickly.  He's fun to talk with and has interesting things to share, funny stories and has a maturity and ease that make him a good conversationalist.  It's so hard to watch him grow up, but I really love the young adult he is turning into.  Finally, he is a strong, faithful young man, eager to go to seminary and excited about serving a mission.  Thank you for your light, Zac!  We love you!

Zac's interview:

How old are you?  "Sixteen."
What makes you happy?  "Being with family, having fun, winning, playing soccer, being onstage."
What are your favorite things to eat?  "Let's go with...Panda Express (Sweet Fire Chicken and chow mein), Happy Colas, stir fry with Huli Huli."
What is your least favorite thing to eat?  "Brussels sprouts and old yogurt."
What are your favorite things to do?  "Play soccer, act, and snowboard."
What is your favorite TV show?  "The 100."
What are you really good at?   "Soccer, acting, snowboarding."
What is your favorite movie?  "The Hobbit Trilogy."
What is your favorite animal?  "Arctic fox and wolves."
What is your favorite color?  "Orange."
What is your favorite song?  "Anything from Hamilton."
Who are your best friends?  "Justin Otis, Jake Turley, Simon Phillips, Mickey Fitzpatrick."
What do you and Mom do together that you love?  "Go driving and going to choir."
What do you and Dad do together that you love?  "Making fun of Mom and watching superhero movies."
What is your favorite sport?  "Soccer."
What is your favorite book?  "An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir."
Where is your favorite place to go?  "The {Conlin} Cabin and Copper Mountain to snowboard."
What makes you feel scared?  "Low grades."
What do you want to be when you grow up?  "A software engineer or programmer or a combination of the two."
What words would you use to describe yourself? "Friendly, energetic, happy, excitable, faithful, well-rounded."
What is the most exciting thing you got to do this year? "I got to see a musical. (Shrek)"
What do you want to tell the future you? "Stay on top of school work and work in general."