Fifteen

Well, you have managed to survive one of the most bizarre and difficult years of your life so far, enduring disappointments and heartache in your personal life, as well as wrestling with the effects of a global pandemic along with the world at large. So much of this year has felt ugly and hard, but I hope when you look back on this year, you will also be able to see the undercurrent of beauty and light that have been woven into it. Even though I know you wouldn't want to repeat this year (and neither would I!), I have seen you grow and mature in numerous ways as a result of having lived through it. I have seen you bravely face disappointment and chart new courses. I have seen you stretch yourself to try new activities, create new relationships, and think about things in new ways. I have seen you lead by example with your brothers and your friends. I have seen you show compassion, humility, initiative, flexibility, curiosity, courage, resilience, dedication, integrity, composure, and self-confidence. I have been awed by you and inspired by you on many occasions throughout this year. I'm so proud of the person you are and the man you are becoming. 

You were just at the beginning of your speech and debate season around your last birthday, and you threw yourself into it with everything you had, which led to much success. Your passion and enthusiasm for it were contagious and delightful. Your arguments and speaking matured throughout the season and you became more and more comfortable, charming, and capable. You earned enough green check marks to go to state, and one of the disappointments you had to face was the loss of that opportunity due to COVID. Still, you learned much during the season and performed to the best of your ability, which is something you can be proud of. We also got to travel to tournaments across many states, and we had so many good times along the way. I'm thankful for that time with you, and I'm grateful for the skills you developed by participating in speech and debate. 

When the pandemic shut down schools, activities, and social outlets in the spring, you struggled to find motivation. But you've stepped into your high school years in a new school, and you have been thriving academically and socially. You have rediscovered your love of playing team sports and have been thoroughly enjoying participating in football and basketball. You have made many new friends and had lots of new experiences. You even have a particularly inspirational World Geography teacher that has tapped into your sense of adventure, and you are looking forward to traveling abroad with him and a group of other students in the summer of 2022.

Speaking of travel, despite the pandemic, you still had several opportunities to travel during the last year. We spent time with family in Lake Tahoe last Christmas, and you were thrilled by the snow and cold, as you always are. You got to participate in speech and debate contests in Georgia, Arkansas, and Oklahoma, as well as several in different parts of Texas. We had a mini vacation to the Jellystone Campground in Tyler, and you got to spend time with your grandparents in Belton and Lake Buchanan. You also took summer trips to California (with stops at the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas) and Florida.

You attended a church camp with your youth group last December and had an experience that really solidified your faith. You have continued to be involved in youth programs at Rockpointe and have been particularly thrilled with a class that started in the new school year called Man Up--a class designed to teach guys your age more about the Bible and some useful life skills as well. Earlier this month, you also made a decision to get baptized. You have said that your faith is what has helped you face the many challenges of this year, and I'm thankful you have it to lean on. 

Weston, this year hasn't been easy, but in so many ways, you've used it as an opportunity for growth. I'm proud of your character and your perseverance. I'm thankful for your ability to roll with the punches and to not let the difficult things keep you down for too long. I'm constantly entertained by your hilarious sense of humor. I'm often educated and encouraged by our conversations. It definitely feels like one of my greatest privileges is getting to share this life with you. You make the world a better place, and you make my world a wonderful place to be. I love you so much, and I wish you all the best on this, your 15th birthday. 

Love,

Mom

Fourteen

Dear Weston,

Somehow your fourteenth birthday has managed to sneak up on us. It kind if caught me off guard, to tell you the truth, and I'm having a hard time wrapping my brain around it. What a privilege it is to have known you these fourteen years! You are smart and sweet and funny and charming and thoughtful and resourceful. You are a good friend, an excellent leader, a shrewd investor, and a delightful person. You have made my life fuller and richer in so many ways, and I'm thankful I get to be your mom!

You have continued to work hard on your Scouting journey throughout this last year. You have attended many camps, held several leadership positions, and are just on the cusp of completing your Eagle Scout rank. Some parts of this journey have not been easy, but you have learned some important lessons and have carried on with your integrity in tact. You should be proud of all you have accomplished.

Your new loves this year have been speech and debate, and you have thrown yourself into them with passion. You competed and performed well in one tournament in the spring, which kind of gave you the bug. And you have just finished the first tournament of the new season, with another trophy for your efforts. You have a real talent for speaking, persuading, entertaining, and forming reasonable arguments, and I hope you will continue to develop these talents and use them for good in the world.

You have had a lot of great opportunities this year, which you have taken advantage of. You invested in the stock market and are quietly letting your wealth grow in the background; you won first place in a state PSIA speech contest; you spent a week crewing a boat in the Florida Keys; you traveled to Washington DC by yourself to visit Dad and navigated the city for a couple of days on your own; you met with city officials while planning your Eagle Scout project; you made new friends and tried new activities and set goals to push yourself. I love the way you embrace life and the way you give it your all. You are brave and bold and one of the best people I know!

We had a big change in our family this year as Dad went to work first in DC and then in New Delhi. I am sure this has not been an easy adjustment for you, but you have handled it bravely and with grace. And, you've been a tremendous help and encouragement to me and a great example for your younger brothers during this time, and I want you to know you are appreciated. I'm so very thankful for you!

Weston, you are such a wonderful young man, and I love getting to do life with you! I appreciate all the ways you have matured in the last year and the many amazing ways you show up in the world. I'm so proud of you, and I hope the year ahead is your best on yet! Happy 14th!

Love,
Mom

My favorite 14-year-old

Lucky Number 13

Dear Weston~

Thirteen years ago you made me a boy mom. I had no idea how to fill that role, and frankly, I was a little terrified. Admittedly, sometimes I still feel that way. But, you have been a great teacher, and you have been very patient with me, and together, we are figuring it out. I am so incredibly proud of the young man you are becoming, and I have thoroughly enjoyed watching you grow and mature during these thirteen years!

This year has been full of fun and adventure. You have continued to be very involved in Scouts and are still rising through the ranks. You are just on the brink of getting your Life rank, and I admire the hard work you've put in to making that happen. You have also become a great leader within the troop. Many of the other Scouts look up to you, and the adult leaders have great respect for you. You became the troop's librarian and immediately made some positive changes that were very beneficial to the troop. You also received a staff position for Brownsea and have worked hard to learn the material on fire building so you can teach it at the camp next week. Additionally, you have attended every monthly campout as well as special week-long camps in New Mexico this summer and Palo Duro a couple of weeks ago. Scouting lights you up and has given you confidence and purpose, and I'm so glad you are pouring yourself into it.

This was a year of new sports for you. You tired your hand at basketball, ping pong, and cross country. I love your willingness to try new things and to diligently search for those things that you truly enjoy rather than just sticking with what you already know. Each sport had its own lessons for you, and each experience helped you grow as a person. 

You wrapped up your time in CC last semester with a wonderful research paper on Thomas Jefferson, which you put your best effort into. And, this year, we started a new academic adventure by enrolling in Arrow. So far, you are really pleased we made the switch, and you are enjoying your classes, which include History, Guitar, P.E., Science, and Speech and Debate. This last class is your absolute favorite, and you even spend your free time working on speeches and preparing for debates. I think debate has become your new passion. You are looking for a team to join so you can become even more involved in the competitions. You were thrilled to receive a briefcase from Nana and Papa for your birthday so you can start putting your serious debater look together. 

We spent two months this summer traveling around South America, visiting places like Machu Picchu, the Nazca Lines, Easter Island, the Amazon, and the Andes. Your favorite activities were sandboarding in the Atacama Desert and snow skiing in the Andes. You were especially tickled to have the opportunity to ski in June since it is normally summer at that time, and it just felt so ironic. You also got to spend some time in Oklahoma City with Ruth and Nana, and you had so much fun exploring a new-to-you location. You love to travel, and you are always up for an adventure!

Weston, you are such a fun-loving, easy-going guy! You love to laugh and to make others laugh, and you fill our home with joy. You have a sweet heart, an analytical mind, a strong body, an adventurous spirit, and a bold presence in the world. You are growing in confidence and maturity every day, and I could not be more proud of you! You are my favorite thirteen-year-old! Happy Birthday!

Love,

Mom

Finally a teenager!

Our first Saturday in Mendoza

Today was our first Saturday in Mendoza, and we packed it full of fun. Jeff didn't have class, but his school organized a tour out to Villavicencio, a natural oasis in the otherwise barren Andes. The natural springs there provide the water for one of the most popular bottled waters in the area and one of the best sparkling waters we've ever had. There is a lovely hotel that is in the process of being restored with the goal of reopening next year. And the grounds contain a lush garden and spa that is beautiful now but must have really been something in the former heyday of the hotel. Even though the whole tour was conducted in Spanish and was a little difficult for most of us to follow, we still had a wonderful time and enjoyed the experience.

A fun outing to Villavicenio

It was fun to visit the home of
one of our very favorite sparkling waters.

In the afternoon, Jeff and I took Clay to the main plaza and park in Mendoza, while the other kids stayed behind to rest. Clay was determined to make a friend and use as much Spanish as he could remember. He played hard on the playground and also had a chance to do some painting, buy a balloon sword, and see a mimi magic show. Jeff and I took turns watching him at the playground and strolling through the rest of the enormous park, where there were tons of craft vendors and interesting characters set up enjoying the beautiful day. We found one vendor selling wooden kitchen utensils and were able to add some unique pieces to our collection.

So many lovely wooden utensils to choose from

The great playground defender

This boy's happy place

A new friend

Deciding on a special treat on the way home

Since today was Weston's half-birthday, he got to drive the plans for the rest of the day, which included a dinner of chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes, and gravy, and a trip out for gelato after dinner. We also decided to revisit Plaza Independencia so we could see what it was like after dark. The answer is "happening." There were so many people and vendors and the whole park was lit up and full of life.

You can take the kid out of Texas,
but you can't take the Texas out of the kid!

Half-birthday gelato party

Plaza Independencia

Twelve Already

Dear Weston,

Today you are 12, which is a little hard for me to believe. Time just seems to go by so quickly, and in a blink you have become a young man--a young man who I am very proud of and constantly amazed by! You have changed and matured a lot this year, and it's so fun to watch you learn and grow.

You played football in the spring, but this summer you decided you were ready for a change of pace and chose basketball for your sport for this school year, surprising pretty much everyone. But, you haven't regretted your decision, and you are enjoying learning a new sport and are looking forward to the time when you start playing games. You definitely still enjoy watching football, and you were thrilled that Dad and I gave you tickets to the TCU/OU game for your birthday.

Another activity you have gotten involved in this school year is scouting. You joined the Boy Scouts in late August, and you have poured yourself into it and have worked very hard to catch up with the boys who joined in the spring. I have been amazed and impressed with your hard work and intense attention to completing the requirements to earn the merit badges and higher ranks. You have showed great levels of leadership and responsibility, and you really enjoy working towards specific goals and checking them off your list when you accomplish them. You are hoping to someday achieve the rank of Eagle Scout, and at the rate you are going, I have no doubt that you will make that a reality.

You are also participating in Cotillion this year, which you enjoy but are a little shy about. Once a month, you meet with a group of your peers to learn etiquette skills and some ballroom dances. You can appreciate that you are learning important life skills, but some of the things are a little outside your comfort zone. I'm proud of you for doing it anyway and for pushing through those uncomfortable feelings in an effort to better yourself. Trust me, your future self will appreciate the investment. 

You still very much enjoy traveling, and you had so much fun on our summer RV trip around the western U.S. and Canada. You were especially pleased to see Mt. Rushmore, and you loved the Alaskan cruise, where you made lots of friends and enjoyed a high level of freedom. And, of course, you were always interested in trying the local food for each state and any other edible offerings we came across! As usual, your favorite places were the cold, snowy places. We also got to travel to Nashville for the solar eclipse, and we just got back from a trip to D.C. You enjoyed both trips immensely. Additionally, Nana took just you to Williamsburg for a special birthday trip, and you had a blast spending some quality time with Nana and learning about colonial times as well as the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. Your favorite thing was Monticello, as you are fascinated by Thomas Jefferson and love learning about his life.

You have been enjoying reading The Economist magazine the past several months, and you have become interested in the stock market. As of now, you are kind of thinking you might want to pursue a career in financial planning or economics. Financial fields seem like a good fit since you are very interested in math and money, and you appreciate a good spread sheet. You love to ponder the difficult problems of the world, and you ask lots of questions to try ensure you are well educated about these matters. Never lose your desire to learn and to think about hard things! Those traits will serve you well no matter what you ultimately decide to do for a career.

Weston, you are such a sweet son and brother and grandson and friend -- an absolute joy to everyone who knows you. You have a great sense of humor and always have us laughing, but you can also be very serious and contemplative. You are thoughtful and helpful, and you give hugs and compliments freely. You are adventurous, and you add an element of fun to almost every day. I love you so much and am so proud of the amazing young man you have become! Happy 12th birthday!

Love,
Mom

My favorite 12-year-old

Super Saturday

This is the first Saturday since late August that we haven't had a kid's sporting event to attend. We enjoyed sleeping in, and since we aren't all going to be together on Weston's birthday in a couple of weeks (or on his birthday party day a couple of weeks after that), we decided to go ahead and celebrate his birthday today. His main request was Krispy Kreme doughnuts, which we don't have in Flower Mound. So, the men headed over to Roanoke to pick up the doughnuts, while Ruth and I went to workout. (For me, this is working out in the very loosest sense of the word, but I'm thrilled to be cleared to do anything that even resembles exercising!)

All the doughnuts!

Later, we gave Weston his birthday gifts, which included tickets to the OU/TCU football game in Norman, OK this evening. He did not see this coming and was thrilled about every part of it: football, TCU, two top-ten teams, going to another state for the game, and the fact that it was happening this very day. It was awesome to watch his face light up! I just love to give gifts that truly make the recipient happy! And, experience gifts are the best!

A new "Saturday shirt"

I can't tell you how happy this face makes me!

After that excitement, we headed over to Denton for the Pistons and Paint Car Show. It was so fun to see so many cool cars! But our favorite part was seeing Junior Brown, who is one of our all-time favorite musicians, perform live. Jeff and I have been trying to catch him live for more than a decade, but it just never worked out until today.

Max's favorite!

Clay asked several times how someone could get up in this

Weston's dream vehicle

I loved the pink Cadillac!

Junior Brown doing his thing

When we left the car show, Jeff and Weston took off for Oklahoma, and the rest of us came home for Clay's first Star Wars movie viewing. For all the other kids, we had decided they could see the movies when they turned seven, but since the new movie is coming out in December, the older kids voted unanimously to let Clay into the Star Wars Club at 6 1/2. And, they want him to get all caught up with the previous movies before the new one hits theaters next month. Clay was ecstatic!

The last thing on our Super Saturday agenda is tacos from Taco Ocho, and you can't ever go wrong with that! I'm so thankful for this happy day and the time spent with my people doing things that make us smile. 

The mother of all homeschool days

I think I can say with some certainty that there will never be a homeschool day as epic as this one. I seriously doubt the stars will ever align again where we experience scissors, glue, a fire set purposely in a sink, and lunch from an oven set up in the backyard all on the same day.  In fact, I may just retire now so I can go out on my highest possible note. 

It just so happened that we had three big projects scheduled for today in three different classes. Clay has been desperate recently to add scissors and glue to art class and has not been satisfied with my suggested drawing activities. He has also been hinting at paint, so I decided I better take my chances with what seems to me possibly the lesser of the two evils. I ended up doing most of the cutting because "the pieces [were] too small," but Clay was 100% in charge of the glue, which still wasn't dry several hours after the completion of the project. He did produce a cute little pizza though and was very proud of his work.

Pizza Project

The younger boys have been studying about the Great Fire of London this week in history. Today, our project was to demonstrate the rapid spread of the fire through the densely packed city by coloring a picture of some houses set very close together and then setting it on fire. The boys were delighted and somewhat shocked that I deliberately set fire to their coloring pages in the sink. I have no pictures of this event, because I was playing an active fireman role and just didn't have a chance to grab my phone. Priorities, you know. 

Max and Weston have been learning about various forms of energy in science and have spent the last couple of days building a solar oven. They finished up just before lunch and were happy to be able to make quesadillas in their creation. 

Edible Science

Regatta and Cotillion

Clay got to participate in his first scout activity today: The Raingutter Regatta. He had a blast getting to wear his uniform and competing against the other Tiger Cubs.

Creating a mighty wind at the regatta

Meanwhile, Weston was off to participate in his first Cotillion class--a class designed to teach middle school and jr. high kids the basics of etiquette and ballroom dancing. He was a little nervous at first, but he enjoyed the class and looked so handsome.

Off to Cotillion

The Scouting Report

A couple of weeks ago, Weston joined a local Boy Scout troop and this afternoon took off on his first weekend campout. He is so pumped up about being part of this group and about checking things off his list to earn the merit badges. Everything about scouting seems to be right up his alley, and I'm so excited that he has this opportunity.

Inspired by his big brother, Clay decided to join Cub Scouts. We went to the first meeting last night, and today he got to go to the Scout Shop to pick up his uniform and accessories. Man, does he feel big, even though he's nowhere near big enough to actually fill out his uniform, which was the smallest size they had! This afternoon, he got to paint his boat for the Raingutter Regatta happening on Sunday, and he started working on the activities in his book. He's so proud of himself, and I'm glad I get to be his Tiger Adult Partner.

I'm proud of my guys and am eager to see how they learn and grow through these experiences!

My big Boy Scout, ready for the camping trip

My little Tiger Cub

Mouth Bling

We suspected the day was coming, but we didn't realize it would be today. We thought Weston was just going into the orthodontist for an evaluation, but he sure enough came out with a mouth full of metal. He's not overly thrilled about it, but he still managed to flash his sweet smile at me.

Showing off the bling

Mount St. Helens

We spent the morning hanging out around our KOA--working out, doing laundry, eating doughnuts, and playing in the awesome club house--waiting for the rain to clear out. Then, we headed over to Mount St. Helens, where we got to watch a video about the 1980 blast and hear a presentation from a park ranger about the geologists who were working in the area at the time of the eruption. The clouds were low, so we couldn't see the blast site or the crater, but it was still a very cool experience. At the bottom of the volcano, we stopped for a late lunch at Fire Mountain Grill, where Weston attempted to eat the Bigfoot Burger -- 4 hamburger patties, ham, turkey, cheese, pulled pork, bacon, fire sauce, crispy onions, caramelized onions, lettuce, tomatoes, and pickles -- and a pile of cheese-covered chips, in 30 minutes, with the hopes of winning a free t-shirt. He polished off the burger but couldn't make his way through all the chips, so he didn't get the t-shirt, and he may have expressed a few other regrets at the end of the meal, but it was an experience he will not soon forget!

Mount St. Helens

Race to the top of the volcano playground

Fire Mountain Grill

Lunch time view of the Toutle River

Ridiculously awesome burger

Half-birthday fun

Today, Weston had his half-birthday. Eleven and a half years sure go by quickly! To celebrate, we toured the Broncos stadium, which gave Weston a few more NFL career options to think about besides just player. He was especially interested to learn that all approved media personnel receive free entrance to all home games and free food throughout games. He thought that sounded like a pretty sweet gig.

Ready to tour the stadium

Trying to look the part

It was pretty exciting to be down on the field

Half-birthday Boy

After the tour, we headed over to Sloan Lake Park for a picnic lunch. It started to rain, so we spent a good portion of the afternoon holed up in the RV, while Jeff regaled the children with one of his awesome made-up-on-the-spot stories. Eventually, the rain subsided and gave way to a gorgeous afternoon, so the boys and I wandered around the lovely lakeside walking path.

Sloan Lake

Walking with the boys

The boys amassed quite a collection
of goose feathers during our walk

Weston picked the dinner spot for us, which was a nice Italian place in Denver called Venice Ristorante. We wined and dined and toasted the half-birthday boy. It was a fun way to end our time in Denver, a city we have thoroughly enjoyed and hope to visit again.

Dinner at Venice

 

A sweet treat to celebrate the occasion

Beer, Bob's, Bill, and a Big Boo-boo

We made the short drive to Colorado this morning, and our first stop was Golden, home of the Coors Brewery, which is the largest single-site brewery in the world. It was fascinating to behold the massive manufacturing facility and to see some of the machinery at work. It was a family-friendly tour, with age-appropriate samples at the end.

Coors Brewery

The malting room was a feast for the senses

One of the brewery's science labs

Watching 12 and 18-packs coming off the line

Cheers!

After the tour, we grabbed a late but delicious lunch at Bob's Atomic Burger, a local burger joint occupying the back end of a liquor store.

Beating a path to Bob's

Nothing but delicious

From there, we headed up to Lookout Mountain, the final resting place of Buffalo Bill Cody and home to a museum honoring his life's work. It is also a lovely perch from which to view Denver and the surrounding area.

The graves of Buffalo Bills and his wife

Buffalo Bill and Annie Oakley

Cowboy Clay rides again

Weston tries his hand at roping

A teepee for two

View of Denver from lookout Mountain

Well, I had this post all typed out and ready to publish, thinking all our adventures we're over for the day. But then Weston came back from the shower, with a story of slippage and a major gash in his hand. We quickly determined that it was going to require more than a Band-aid, so Jeff called an Uber and took Weston to the nearest urgent care facility, where he received four stitches. Now, I think our adventures are truly over for the day.

He survived and will have the scar to prove it