You Make Me So Proud

It all started with a phone call...

For those of you raising boys, or who have raised boys, or lived with boys...you know that life is always very interesting. Although I was blessed with two younger brothers, one lived on the other side of the country and the other was 10 years younger than me so it's pretty safe to say I "grew up with sisters." Two sisters to be exact, and with a single mother, women ran the house so there wasn't a whole lot of male input...EVER. So, as I've been blessed with a "man's man" for a husband and a son a lot like him it's been an interesting transition for me. I watch and actually LIKE sportscenter now, and I can tell you every starter for the MSU Spartans basketball program...our dog was named IZZO. So, now when I get phone calls from parents telling me Brev and his/her son were spelling swear words in the bathroom or a group of boys were playing the "slapping" game (which basically consists of slapping your best friends across the face as hard as you can when they aren't expecting it and then laughing hysterically) I don't hardly bat an eyelash anymore.

But then my phone rang. The mother of one of Brev's classmates started out whispering (which I found odd at first) that her daughter had just gotten new glasses and she was excited about going to school that day and then everyone in the class was making fun of her. Immediately my ears turned red and I could feel the embarrassment and disappointment welling up in my chest. So I waited to hear what part my "boy" played in the harrassment of this poor little girl. She continued..."I just wanted to let you know" (OH boy, here it comes) "that Brevin went up to her and said 'I think your glasses are pretty and you look cute.'" I could have cried. I thanked her so much for letting me know, and added that it's nice to hear positive things about your kids now and then. Then I gave Brevin the biggest hug and told him how proud I was of him. I've always tried to pass the words my mom gave me down to my own children, "Beauty is only skin deep and it's what's inside that counts." This one small incidence reaffirmed to me that something we say does get through, you just have to be patient and wait for the benefits.

I'll never forget that phone call.