bummer

life lessons are hard. today our boy learned that. today we learned that... and we would much rather hold the burden than to ever see our kids hurt. but life doesn't work that way. and he will be all the better for it. and so will we.

the kids go to ski school. they love it. all three started out as bunnies. it was apparent that rhys was a bit too big for this group, but not big enough for the next level up, the frostbites. two weeks ago, after the bunny class, they decided to give him a whirl in the frostbites. he was beside himself excited. last week was his first time as a frostbite. it was apparent that he wasn't ready for it, but man, the kid didn't give up. he may have came in last, but he kept with it- never complaining, just skiing his little heart out. he was so proud of himself. c was worried that maybe they jumped the gun moving him, but waited to see what the coaches thought. all week long, he told his sisters that when they were big and strong like him, they, too, would be in the frostbites.

today the skis came crashing down. the coaches decided to move him back to the bunnies. his face fell. c explained that he just needed to practice a bit more. it just so happens that pepaw had them arrive early today so that him and rhys could groom the trails before classes started... "well, pepaw and I are gonna practice before class. then i'll be ready for the frostbites again, right, mommy? i'll show them what I'm made of!" he reasoned. this is when pepaw and c almost lost it. when c had to tell him that that wasn't enough practice and that he would be a bunny for awhile longer, he lost it. his little skiing heart was broken. in his heart and mind, he was a frostbite, but the world was telling him that he was a bunny.

don't get me wrong, i want our kids to earn their way and make their marks... to not be given every award and accolade just because. i want them to build their characters and to take on the world. but geez, it's hard. and that's okay.

in the end, they... we... will all be okay.