2014-2015 school year…out

Well…this school year came and happened.  I was just posting on that first day of school…when the sky was the limit…and there were lots of unknown hopes and dreams of what would become of the 8th, 6th, and 4th grades.  The first day of school is filled with such promise.

“You have brains in your head.

You have feet in your shoes.

You can steer yourself any direction you choose.

You’re on your own.  And you know what you know.

And you are the guy who’ll decide where to go.” -Dr. Seuss

Colt.  You, for instance, knew exactly what you wanted for your 8th grade year.  You were in all pre-AP classes, with 2 High School level classes (Algebra and Spanish) on top of that.  Your goal was to keep a 4 point average.  And equally important to you was making the 8th grade basketball team.

You did those things.  And then some.

We love number five.

Your sisters got to go to a pep rally to cheer your team on.

You were inducted into the National Junior Honor Society.  You were also asked to be a member of SSA…a group of hand selected kids who are looked at as leaders by your peers…to be catalysts for a change in thinking:  That KINDNESS is always better.  In addition to that…you were selected to meet with the principal on a regular basis with a small group of other kids to offer suggestions on how to improve the school.  Because of y’all…real changes were made to policies!!  Your voice made a real difference to the entire school for years to come!

You got to watch my old High School win play-offs and then play in the UIL 6A State Basketball tournament in San Antonio.

You got to sit next to Lake’s famous Coach Krueger (the winningest basketball coach in Texas) in Krueger Field House and watch the games.

You got to travel to the State tournament…and create your own memory to be filed with my very own from 8th grade when my parents took us to Austin to watch Clear Lake win State in 89.

How I hope that you can look at this post…and see how the Lord has blessed you this year.  He allowed and facilitated all of your hopes and dreams that were only in your heart back in August…on that first day of school…to come to fruition.  He loves you, son.  He is for you.  He knows what you need and what you desire and the best way to piece all of it together in order to make you more of the man He has created you to be.  You won’t always get what you want…which isn’t a bad thing…considering that the one in charge of your future knows far greater than you do about what you need.  This year has been an amazing journey for you.  You have worked hard.  You have had some bad days…just like we all do.  But you have had a lot of good ones.  And they are both worth praising.

And there is you, Chase…who have proved yourself time and time again.

Just this morning…Daddy and I sat in the Library at your school to watch you receive an award for having outstanding character.  I have been stopped by your teachers multiple times through this year…for them to tell me a story about some way that you have cared for someone.  One particular teacher’s eyes brimmed with tears as she told me of you standing up in front of your class to tell them that the way they were treating a special needs student wasn’t right.  You told them that they needed to stop.  Your teacher said, “I told him he didn’t have to do that…that I would handle it.  But he said, No.  He said that a student needed to stand up for what was right.  We don’t see many kids like that, Mrs. Clarkson.”

You have worked your way out of qualifying for a language disability label.  You have worked and worked and worked for years and years and years.  You never gave up…even when it was harder for you than your friends.  Even during those nights of homework…when you couldn’t understand the words in the word problems or the phrasing in a chapter…you kept going.  Even during those times when you thought you weren’t smart because of this different way that your mind worked…you kept going.  And all that perseverance has paid off for you this year.  You’re moving up, baby!

“And will you succeed?

Yes!  You will, indeed!

(98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed.)

Kid, You’ll Move Mountains!” -Dr. Suess

These two???  Well…they may be their little sisters…

but they are their biggest fans!

Yeah…Colton…you got Student of the month back in September.  So…don’t go feeling left out.

And you, Aiden Annee-Grace?  Well…you have marched to the beat of your own drum!  You have held your own…with grace and style.  You think for yourself and you stick to your guns.  And I love that about you.

You have built solid friendships this year with some really good girls.  You have learned what it means to be kind to everyone…but also to choose your inner circle wisely.  You know who you are and are solid in that.  You don’t gossip.  And everybody loves you.  You are invited to a bazillion birthday parties and feel bad if you can’t make them all.  Why???  Not because you want to go to jumping world again…but because you want the person to feel celebrated…even if you don’t know them that well!  You are simply…awesomeness with a bow.

You aren’t jealous.  And you love it when good things happen to people.  Don’t ever let that part of you go.  It’s God’s graciousness in you.

Your stint in student council has lead to you running for office, baby!

You are running for President of the student body.  I’d vote for you in a Texas heartbeat!

And just think…if you win…you will have a whole Kindergarten class as your biggest fans!  Annslee will be up there under your reign!

Good Luck, my little darlin’!

Summer is on it’s way.  Here’s a big margarita glass cheers…

with an umbrella, of course.

2014-2015 school year…out.