They often surprise me & constantly make me SO proud.I have had many tender moments in the last month...they have been the kind of moments that make this whole parenting trip worth every second.
About a month ago, we had a knock on the front door. It was a Friday & I had already declared that we weren't going anywhere. We were going to stay home & clean. I hadn't showered & was in the fridge, deep cleaning...pulling everything out. The boys were in their rooms, under the beds. They were pulling everything out of their hiding spots. So, back to that knock on the door. I opened the door to find Tanner's soccer coach & the entire team standing there. They were there to pick Tanner up for the team camping trip to Donor Lake. What in the world??? How did I miss the email about this one???? The coach said he would wait while we packed Tanner's stuff. I wasn't even sure if I was comfortable with Tanner going. My heart was racing, wondering if I was really going to let my first born go away for the weekend with a bunch of kids, the coaches & their wives. Needless to say, I let him go. I worried about him the entire day until he called to check in. He was having the BEST time. Hearing that & his voice FINALLY allowed me to relax. On Saturday we received another phone call from Tanner. He was calling to tell us that they had been down @ the lake, playing. The shore didn't have any sand, instead it had tiny pebbles. Somehow, Tanner had gotten a pebble stuck between his eye & eyelid. Tanner said the pebble was curved just like his eye & it was STUCK. The coaches & their wives tried everything to get it out. They poured water in his eyes, hoping to flush it out. They tried Qtips, hoping to move it a little so they could grab it. I guess this went on for quite a while. Tanner was scared. He decided that it was time to say a prayer. He told his coach that he was going to ask his Heavenly Father for help. The coach said "OK". Tanner started to head towards the trees so he could say a little prayer. The coach said, "it's okay, you can say it right here". Tanner knelt down & asked Heavenly Father to help him get the pebble out of his eye. He then thanked him for the fun camping trip. He stood up, and in Tanner's words "it popped right out". Talk about great faith of a little boy. What Tanner does not know is that his coach came over to our house that Monday after the camping trip. He came to tell John & I that we have one incredible young man. He said that Tanner's simple example & quiet faith had left such an impression on the coaches & their wives. Okay, so you have know by this point, I am bawling like a baby :-)! I am so grateful for Tanner & his incredible faith. I felt very comforted knowing that he could be away from home, away from us & know that his Heavenly Father was just a prayer away.
Long story short, I had relayed this story to my Mom & Tanner received this sweet note in the mail from her yesterday. It reminded me that I needed to record this.
Tanner read the note, had tears in his eyes & said "can you please put this in my scrapbook". That's my boy!
Carter received a note from Grandma too.
One thing you need to know about Carter is that he will always stick up for the under dog. This little boy was new to our school this year. Carter volunteered to show him around the school. He invited this boy to play with him @ recess & to eat lunch with him. While they were playing, a few fellow 3rd graders started to make fun of this boy, Carter's new friend. Carter told them to knock it off...they didn't let up. Carter came home & proudly told me that he had told those mean boys, teacher & they had to pull not ONE card, but TWO cards. He has reported that those mean boys have not bothered his new friend since.
I am so thankful for Tanner & Carter & the constant examples they are to me. I learn so much from them on a daily basis.
