Continuing with the "Catching Up"...

Benji had a bit of a tough time at the beginning of this baseball season. His team wasn't playing well, he was frustrated, he felt that his coaches didn't really like him, and he just wasn't having much fun. He hung in there, however, and the year finished up quite a bit better than it started, and he seemed to enjoy himself more. This is one of the reasons that we put him in sports. It's important for him to learn to make the best of each situation and to work through it when he doesn't necessarily get along with someone in authority. This will be useful someday if he gets a job working for someone he doesn't necessarily like all that much!

I can't tell you how many times I saw kids moved from classroom to classroom, back when I taught in "real school" because they didn't get along with a particular teacher. I always tried to explain to parents that this was the prime time for a life-lesson, but the school I was in would rather just try to keep everyone happy than actually teach stuff like that....but I digress!

Anyway, Benji also got to do gymnastics this year with Jon and Maddie, and he absolutely loved it! He did really well and even got to do a few things that other class members weren't able to do. He doesn't have the prettiest form, or body-lines, but he has good balance, and he's pretty strong for such a skinny little kid, so he was able to do a lot of "tricks"....even if he didn't look so pretty doing them!

He is mostly into Freestyle BMX these days. He sets up stunt courses in the back yard and will be out there for hours riding and trying new tricks. His dream is for us to take him to New Mexico to an indoor BMX stunt park and let him go wild....I'd totally do it, too....if I ever won the lottery that is!

Anyway, the major event for Benji this past month is that he went from looking as he did in the above picture, to this....



...yes, my son has a metal-mouth, and his dreams of a pilgrimage to BMX mecca are now several thousands of dollars farther away....sheesh! Those of you with pre-teen kids....START SAVING NOW!!! And to President Bush, thank you, thank you, thank you. Your economic stimulus payment is the only way we were able to manage the down-payment on what will hopefully be a beautiful smile some day.

So, that's about all the news on Benji lately, but there will be more soon. He and his dad are heading out in a couple of weeks for a summer mission trip to San Antonio to work with an inner-city group there. I'll make sure that he posts something about it here for you all to see.

As for me, it's time to get back to the daily grind around here...ugh!