What We've Been Up To.....

is, a lot. Wow! Brock's basketball league continues. He has practice every Thursday evening and games each Saturday morning. We're very proud of him, he is an awesome player and even better team mate. He always tries to pass the ball to the smaller players before taking shots himself. He has learned so much about the game and gained great skills since he started two seasons ago.

Speaking of Brock, we celebrated his b day with a bowling party. It was really a lot of fun. I enjoyed seeing him so happy. What I didn't enjoy so much, is, what happened in the parking lot of the alley before we went in. Little Tyson was so excited he didn't pay any attention to where he placed his hands on the car and slammed his thumb in the door. I felt so badly for him. In a way I'm kind of glad that it happened. At least now he knows why I gripe at him so much about being mindful of his fingers around doors. I'm not just a nag now, I actually have a proven point.
His thumb is feeling much better now. It just needed a couple of days.

Doesn't it seem like at a certain point (around third grade) things start to get really crazy? Kids start to change, things become cool or really un cool, the homework gets more complex and you realize your babies aren't really babies anymore. Brock recently had to choose a chapter book to read, then select his favorite scene from that book and construct a diorama. It was for the most part a Dad and Brock operation. I stayed out of the way! I did help paint some legos to represent gold bricks but that's about it. He did a great job and had lots of fun. He also learned a great lesson about friends. There is a little girl in his class that is a bit high strung and most of the other kids are a little mean to her. She was a bit hurt that he didn't give her an invitation to his birthday. He came home from school and told me about how he felt badly but didn't want to become un cool either for hanging out with her. I explained to him that in life we have choices to make and sometimes people just want to be liked for who they are. We talked about how we all want to be given a chance even if we look different or sound different. I pointed out at that no one had really given her heart a chance. I told him that sometimes you have to take chances, to step out there and go against the grain, even if it means other people don't understand at first. I left the decision up to him. He decided to invite her. Some of the kids laughed at him, some of them said they wouldn't go to the party if she was there, others were jealous that she got and invite instead of them. That afternoon when I checked my email, the girl had sent him three birthday e cards. (My email address was provided for RSVP) She was so thrilled that he had invited her. She came to the party and had lots of fun. The best part is that my son, the wise little man he is, said the truest sweetest thing on the way home. He said "you know Mom and Dad, it was a little hard to invite her but I'm glad I did. At first A. (male friend from school) didn't understand why I invited her but he saw me being nice to her and having fun and I think it stared to change him too. I think he started to get it and that means a lot."

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