Kids

"The most important task of each generation is raising the next one."  George Will

Actually, I am paraphrasing Mr. Will from memory, but he said something like that, and I liked it.

Kids certainly give some meaning to life -- the ability to give someone else the chances you had, and maybe steer them clear of some of the mistakes you made, is a worthy task for anyone.  Children also provide some sense of immortality.  After I am gone, my children will live on, and their children, and maybe the world will be a little bit better because of that, and my life will not necessarily be inconsequential in 100 years, or so I hope.

I feel comfortable saying that Jackie and I have put a tremendous effort into raising our kids to be everything they can be.  You can always point to something that could be better, but we have lived our lives centered around them for 16 years now, and  we will continue to do so for several years to come.  They have consumed our time and financial resources, impacted decisions about where we would live, what kinds of cars we have, what jobs we took.

And that's pretty much the deal when you have kids; you don't put everything else on hold, but they become your focus, and you sacrifice your own desires for their needs.  In return, you get to watch them grow up, and you help shape their lives.  It's an accomplishment raising children, one worth being proud of.

Jackie and I have done our best to give the boys numerous opportunities.  We homeschooled them because we thought it was good for their education, but also because it seemed like a much better experience for them than being bused off to a classroom every day.  They have owned hundreds of books, videos, video games, toys, board games.  We got them involved in Boy Scouts, drama, archery, chess, music, social groups, church, and more.  They have gone to camps and gone with us on vacations across the country and beyond a few times.  We have given them chances to develop as well as opportunities to find and pursue their own interests.

As for the boys, they seem to be doing well.  Lucas is a top student, with a grade point average well over 3.9 in his online high school courses.  He is also a good archer and will compete in the outdoor national championships next week, and he is well on his way to becoming an Eagle Scout.  Lucas seems to do well at everything he puts his mind to.

Jarrod is a bit of a different animal, but he also tests well, particularly in language skills.  He will surprise you with very sophisticated questions.  He loves drama and does well at it.  He is outgoing and easily makes friends and likes to be the center of attention.  Jarrod likes to cook sometimes, and will add his own touch to things he makes.  Looking at that list, I have to say he is almost the complete opposite of me.  We still sometimes wonder where he came from, but he's a very good kid.

So this is the one area of my life that I can say I am most proud of.  You never know what will happen, but for now I will say that we have made a respectable effort to raise our kids well, and the results are worth the effort.