My Boy

Wanna tell ya about The Boy today (Yes, that would be the same little smart-ass who killed me without mercy in yesterday's post!)

I told y'all a while back that he was applying to a special High School, with some damn tough entrance criteria. Well, he got the word yesterday: he was accepted! We were all thrilled (Mom cried, but I'm not supposed to tell you that!) I have to say I was truly impressed that he got in. This is a school that gets a few thousand applications each year and they take about 80 kids. They check your grades throughout middle school, make the kids write an essay on why they want to attend, and give an entrance examination that's just slightly less difficult than presenting a doctoral thesis.

He heard about this school back when he was in 6th grade and told us he wanted to go. We told him that was fine . . . yadda, yadda,yadda. Basically figuring it was just a passing thing and he'd forget about it in a month or two. Well, he didn't. He's been working at this goal ever since. With the expception of a few scholastic bumps in the road (Habla Espanol?) his grades have been very good, he really did a great job on the essay and (I assume) he aced the exam. I can't tell you how thrilled I am to see him set a major goal like this and acheive it. It was really important to him to go to this school and I couldn't be prouder of him for making it happen.

He deserves this. I have to say he's a damn good kid (ya know: when he's not killing his father in video games!) who tries to always do the right thing. He's always polite, caring, and gentle toward everyone but understands that freedoms need to be defended and he intends to pursue a career in the military. This school will give him a definite leg up toward his dream of attending Annapolis one day. Gotta say: I really think he can make it. He's growing up quickly and learning that you can have whatever you want, as long as you do what it takes to earn it. If that's the only life lesson he pulls out of his (torturous) years of living with his parents, I'll be more than satisfied.

Today my son made the first steps on his own chosen path to adulthood. A path he's making with his own courage and will. Look around all you want, folks . . .

You're not gonna find a prouder father on the planet than me.

(Great job, Bud!!!)

Later!