Kid Ramblings. . .

It's kind of refreshing to just pull out random pictures and talk about them instead of plowing through three hundred pictures of something and then not having time/interest in saying anything about them!!  Hmm. . . Sounds familiar.

So here's this one:

The picture file says it was taken on January 4th, 2012 from my Blackberry.

The kids and I went down to BSU to double check the location of Zach's new semester classes and I remember being struck by several interesting things.

First of all, Zach is very comfortable at BSU.  Of course he is.  He's been there an entire semester (and then some).  He knows his way around, he's made friends with the computer lab, he knows how much time he needs between classes and, most importantly, he knows where the most comfortable chairs are with nearby plug-ins for his Ipod charger.  I guess the reason I'm struck by all of this is that before the fall of 2011, Zach spent the majority of his time at home.  Getting to class meant wandering into the living room or kitchen.  There were no on-line documents or tests to take, no teachers or professors to contact, no dead lines to meet, no campus to cross.  And yet, he has come to "own" this new venture.  I have very, very little to do with his education.  He gets where he needs to go on campus, he completes what needs to be done with time left over, he tracks his grades and his progress.  AND he made the Dean's List during his first semester of college.  He's humble about it but I'm so proud.  I did BAD my first semester of college.  I had way more preparation for the "how-to's" of education and I pretty much blew my whole first year of my college education along with a pretty good scholarship.  Thankfully I grew up and got a second chance and did much, much better a few years later but that's a story for another day. . .

Second of all, I was struck by how much my kids like each other.  They don't get along all the time by any means but on the day that we walked around the campus, they linked arms, they joked with each other and had a sweet connection that comes from knowing someone well and loving them anyway. . .

And, last but not least, that day and just about every day, I'm struck by the fact that my kids are getting older.  Zach will be 20 this summer.  Gloria turned 13 in December.  I'm proud of them both and I'm feeling like I've raised two people who will make a positive difference in this world someday.  I've seen them both make really good choices and show wisdom in difficult situations.  It's too early to pat myself on the back too heartily but I'm proud of who they are and who they are becoming. . .