The Foreword... In it's entirety

After much deliberation, I have decided to let you all see how terrific my kid is. (Names have been changed to protect the innocent.) Oh and if you think I'm bragging, I don't much care.


Who is #1? #1 is many things to many different people. To his family he is #1 the video game aficionado, the student, the musician, the wood stacker/lawn mower, the picky eater, the neat one, the older brother, the athlete, the jokester, the new driver, the sentimental one (he wears his heart on his sleeve – a fact about which his mother worries constantly).

The #1 we see at home is a little different than the #1 you see at school.

You see the talkative extrovert. We see the introvert who needs time to just be. #1 enjoys the company of friends, but often likes to sit and listen to music or play video games.

You see the athlete who seems to always come in second. We see the athlete who gives 100% at every practice and sporting event. He cheers on his teammates until he his hoarse. #1 is the best cheerleader a team can have. He doesn’t care if you place first or last, he will cheer for you until you cross the finish line. He has more team spirit in his little finger than most people have in their whole bodies.

You see the “band geek”. We see the saxophonist who works hard, loves the camaraderie of marching band, who can improvise on the fly, and really play jazz.  We see the guitarist who enjoys playing songs with the kids at summer camps and with the gospel band at church. Music is part of who #1 is. He’s been making music in one form or another since the age of 5.  His mother hopes that someday he returns to playing the piano – he’s good at it.

You see the kid who always gets the A. We see the dedicated student who works hard, stays up late, goes the extra mile, and pressures himself to get his assignments just right.

You see the kid who is well behaved and perfectly mannered – and we’re glad you do!  We can still remember the stubborn 3-year-old sitting in the “Time Out” chair, the giggly 4 year old karate student whose laughter could be heard throughout the entire dojo, and the little thief who stole the fire engine off of a friend’s birthday cake. (He paid dearly for that one!)  We also see the young man who knows which fork to use at a dinner, who can walk up to anyone, shake hands with confidence, and hold a conversation. 

#1 is a terrific kid. He is talented, smart, fun loving, dedicated, and more – There are too many adjectives to choose from and I certainly don’t want to be accused of bragging. I am so proud of my #1. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for him – I just know it’s going to be great!