Those times when our kids amaze us

Inspired by reading this post I decided to write about times when my own children have done things that amaze me.

Oldest- During the painful emotional time he was being rejected and coming to the reality that his marriage was not going to be he didn't lash out. He was kind and loving in his thoughts toward the woman girl who was hurting him. He has talked in quiet moments with me about his feelings, but he has never uttered hateful words or being against other girls/women that have come into his life. He is always seeking to reach out and help where he can.

Monkey Wrench- This young boy had recovered from mono and spent the summer going into 9th grade getting up each morning by 6 (and usually earlier to condition), riding his bike to the high school (about 4 miles one way), and playing his heart out. He went to football camp and his understanding was that because he had put so much effort into football during summer he would be guaranteed a spot on the football team. He didn't take the tryouts as seriously as he should have. He did not make the team and he was crushed. As he wept in my arms I quietly said he had a choice here. He could be angry and walk away from football, hating the coaches and players he had grown to love or he could go and support the team in anyway he could. He asked if we could still purchase his spirit gear, since it had been ordered over a month previous. I told him yes. We went to the school and I ended up sending him out to the car for my checkbook, as I had forgotten it. While he was gone the coach told me he was surprised to see my son in here buying the spirit gear. I told him about our conversation and because my son had a good attitude the coach asked him, upon his return, if he would to be the team manager and he could help the coaches and still train with the team. He made some amazing friends and mentors that year. Because he chose not to be hateful when the coach had to make a decision that he didn't like he had an opportunity to grow even more than only playing on the team would have permitted. 

Sassy- This girl doesn't really live up to her blog name. She stands her ground, but for righteousness. She has a friend (girl B) that struggles to make good choices and very often has consequences that she doesn't like. Sassy had another friend (girl A) who got mad at her for trying to help the other friend. She was upset that Sassy was spending any time with B or loving her and being a good example. A is no longer on her friend list as she turned hateful and mean. Sassy did not retaliate. Sometimes B uses Sassy's name to convince her parents to let her go somewhere, by saying "Sassy is going, too." Sassy could be rude and get mad at her friend (and maybe friend is misused here as it sometimes seems to be one way), but she chooses to pray for this other girl and to  be there when she comes around for the short time periods that she does. Sassy has other friends that are her constant companions, but she never forgets that B needs a friend who will not get talked into doing things that are poor choices and who love you even when you do.

Tree Monkey- This child should really carry the name Sassy, because she is just that. She uses that sass to stand up for others. She has a friend that she has had since they were 18 months. Seriously. They have grown up together and even though we moved a couples miles North of our old neighborhood, it hasn't deterred Tree Monkey from maintaining this friendship. They have plans to live in an apartment together while they are in college. It's cute to hear them plan. If someone at school is being mean to her best friend Tree Monkey will stand up to the bully and defend her friend. And she is quick. The bullies don't get to her. She will spout truths and call them out quicker than the adults. They usually back down. She also stands up to her friends when they get mad at her for doing the right thing. Say, telling an adult that you are wanting to die and you have a boatload of pills in your back pack and you have already taken some. Yep. She did that. When the gal told her she was mad for telling my daughter replied "at least you are alive to be mad at me and I'd rather have you alive than dead." Friend later thanked her for getting her help. 

Some moments, days, or events make you smile with tears in your eyes as you think about how wonderful your children are.

It helps get you through the times when they don't act so wonderful or they are struggling. Mom is my favorite job, cause the pay is limitless and enduring.