Goin' Places...

You know that saying people use when they're referring to someone really ambitious and amazing? As in, "Wow, she's really going places, that one." Well, here are two little men who really are - whether that is literal or figurative or both. I believe there is magic in these two souls.

We had a little ongoing brew-ha-ha about this over 4th of July weekend when my Dad, who had no intentions of being rude or offending anyone, said, "When you are just getting babies here in this world you look at them and you think they'll grow up to be rock stars, NBA players or Presidential candidates for sure. And then they turn out to be average, upstanding citizens who are 'normal'."

Cue the opening of a sarcastic little can o' worms for the poor guy...

The rest of the weekend was full of snarky remarks like,

"I hope your steak is grilled OK... You know, I'm just your mediocre son-in-law."

and

"How was that firework for you? Probably just average, huh?"

Oh we laid it on thick. And it was funny and true all at the same time. Kind of like the fact that my heart is so excited to see my little men grow up to their full potentials and to see what they will do and who they will ultimately become. And I joke about investing in my retirement when I spend a sweltering afternoon at the ball field with a Little Tykes baseball tee, but I think it is the duty of every parent to hope for wild dreams of insane success for your offspring... knowing full well that if they grow up to be healthy and happy... that is all you can ask for.

But the meaning of happy is intricate and subjective and dependent on a lot of things. And I want my kids to learn this just as much as I want them to be happy. Because the truth of it is that most putts don't drop and most beef is tough and most children grow up to be ordinary people. But along the ride there are amazing vistas of greatness. And that is when you must bask and know that your little one is extraordinary in every way.

And to quote the great Doctor named Seuss...

"Oh the Places They'll Go".