Accomplishments

Thank you to my guest blogger, 12 year old BB, for an update on Saturday's race. Honestly folks, I was really ready to bag it, because c'mon, SIX miles? Who the heck needs to run six miles? Isn't that just crazy? But then my little cheerleader and running buddy was up at 7am on Saturday, ready to go to the race with me, and I just couldn't let her down. Ya know what? I'm really glad I did it, proud to say I signed up for three races and I completed them all. Wasn't sure I would be able to say that. Mission accomplished!

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Speaking of accomplishing goals, our entire family worked together all day Saturday and Sunday on our basement finishing project. BB and NKB were quite the pair in convincing DAB and me to go with a much different paint hue than we'd originally planned on. We had been thinking of a nice plain off white, but the kids lobbied hard and won the battle for a warm rich taupe, Bonjour Beige. Good call kids. BB and NKB also worked very nicely together re-installing outlet covers and switchplates. We are now at a carpet-choosing point, and the possibilities seem endless! We've created a complex family voting system to help narrow it down, and hopefully will have the order placed within the next week, and carpet installed before Labor Day. Still lots to do with installing doors, baseboards and trim, but we very content with progress thus far. We've accomplished so much on this project, with very little discord, and in fact it's brought us all closer together.

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Closer together, and ohhh sometimes farther apart. NKB is off at a basketball camp this week, and during the 45 minute drive to camp this afternoon, he and I talked about college choices. He's heading into sophomore year of high school, and so right on track to start thinking seriously about Next Steps. He commented today about a school in a land Far Far Away, and commented casually that he thinks he'd like to be about "five hours away... by plane." Suck breath in, hold for thirty seconds, exhale slowly. Ok, this is what it means to be a parent, I can handle this. I think. We're right on track for the sort of exploratory thoughts he's having about college choice, and it gives Mom and Dad some time to get our heads around our little boy making grown up man decisions. Suck breath in, hold for thirty seconds, exhale slowly. Ok, still breathing here, that's good. As we arrived at camp, he wanted to head off with the guys, but I wasn't ready to say goodbye, instead lingering over the bed-making and unpacking as long as possible. Eventually, with a brief hug and kiss, he left for the basketball courts, leaving me still mussing and fussing in his room. I smoothed the blankets, fluffed the pillow, tucked his duffel bags under the bed, and pictured his future college dorm room. Yes I can do this, suck breath in, hold for thirty seconds, exhale slowly.
You can be damn sure, however, that we will make the most of these next three years of high school, treasuring every moment - good and bad. Ann over at Life in the Mud Lane has some good advice for parents, which I wholeheartedly second - parents, just show up! Your kids will know if you're there, and although they may not even talk to you or acknowledge your presence, they need you. Just show up! Great great wisdom Ann.
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"You measure the size of the accomplishment by the obstacles you had to overcome to reach your goals." - Booker T. Washington
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kk