We are spending a significant amount of evening time at the Y these days.
I am not getting any workouts completed. I often spend the time getting caught up on computer work, emails, or reading. That is if my presence is not needed for supervising and spotting my children.
Only one night is there swim lessons, the one time the children are being actively supervised and kept safe by a trained individual. .
And I really should walk during that time....but the last few weeks, I have secured that time to get some time pressing projects done, so bed time would not be delayed.
The other nights my presence is required. The Man likes to rock wall climb. Since he is the youngest and not "of age," I have to sit down by the wall while he climbs. So I curl up, do a puzzle, read, shout some encouragement, watch and cheer. I might even zone out a bit during this time. I might even come back down to earth to listen to the chatter or excited youngsters who have climbed the next hardest or hardest section!
Tonight, I met Mr. Ben. He was excited and impressed.
He introduced himself and asked me if I had some time. Yep, we'll be here for another 45 minutes.
He was thrilled. I am looking at him thinking, "OOooookAY?? What's up?" (Meanwhile, I am pulling The Man off the wall cause I am too distracted to spot him. And I have been asked by one of the belayers to spot him.)
He explains, my 3 kiddos (The Man, Princess and Hockey Player) (by the way, Dad's Bud is at Cub Scouts) are EXCEPTIONAL climbers.
(DUH!! They climb everything, appliances, walls, doorframes, trees, rock walls, boulders, buildings, the gym wall at church)
He tells me again, "They are exceptional climbers." (Again, telling me this as I pull The Man off the wall yet again!)
Oh boy, I am in for it now.
"They naturally know how to climb." (Pulling The Man off the wall again ~ Really, he naturally knows how to climb and can't help himself!)
Yep, I know that. The Man fell 8 feet last year and broke an arm. The Man was climbing the front of my refrigerator when he was 2. If I can't find my children when I look out the door, I look in the trees. I have had to ask them (threaten them) to not climb my door frames or walls unless they were willing to clean them.
Mr. Ben, "Can I work with them? Teach them some things?"
He teaches classes and he could give them drills and instructions and things to work on. They can learn in 30 minutes in what he usually teaches over a course of 4 weeks.
OOooooKAaaay.
I am thinking, great what are they going to climb at home now? AND GREAT! I don't have to pay for classes!
Then it comes. Footwear. If they have the right kind of footwear they would do AMAZING things when they climbed. Oh boy. Here it comes, they are listening. Their eyes are sparkling. Their ears are perked and they are listening and hanging onto every word Mr. Ben has to say!
And I listen to. I ask questions.
And now, I am researching climbing shoes. Would you know, I can find very little down to earth suggestions and options and ideas from experienced moms in this area! ! ? ? ! !
Frustrating.
I have looked at the climbing shoes! ! YowZer!!! They want as much for a pair of STRICTLY Climbing ONLY shoes as I pay for a pay of my athletic/tennis shoes!!!
These kids have growing feet.
So I have been on Ebay. It is not much better there! ! !
Where are all the children that climb! Where are their mothers and shoes and advice????
For the first time ever, Princess is interested. She heard there was a climbing team. Her eyes got all sparkly, her head whipped so fast around, I thought it was spinning on an axis. She is excited. She is all interested, like crocheting and knitting interested. I watched her work with Mr. Ben and saw her body splayed out across the rock wall. Legs stretched as far apart across the side of the wall, fingers poked into little holes and she suspended in the air there, clinging to this rock. Satisfaction, confidence and delight written over her contenance. Strength!
A little while later, I hear Hockey Player ask if she wants to practice with him what they have learned. Off they go. The Man not far behind. He doesn't see it as practice. It is just play. He climbs and climbs. NO fear, no second thoughts, he just goes.
I am thinking....shoes.
Praying, please no injuries, no broken bones, no falls.
Pleading Lord, please limit their interest to the indoors. Please shield this Momma from thrill seeking outdoor rock climbers. Please no ERs.
Oh NO! We have a trip planned to Colorado Springs. We are going to the Garden of the Gods. Visions from my youth of climbers on the rocks in the Garden of the Gods flash through my mind. Help me, my trip is going to involve tethering children to the ground.
Deep breath, exhale, another deep breath, exhale.
Wait and Pray.
Borrow the Y shoes for now.
Exceptional....
For my children are fearfully and wonderfully made. Knitted together by the Creator, by the One who has a Plan and Purpose for each of them. Each one is unique and different and set apart from the others. All from the same parents. All from the same Creator and yet so vastly and uniquely different. Exceptional not only in the eyes of those who love them, but Exceptional in the eyes of the One who Created them for His Plan and His Purpose.
Lord give me wisdom, strength and ENERGY as I parent them for you. Reveal to them this Plan and Purpose You have created them for. Help me to stay out of the way, to support You Lord in Your Plans and Purposes for each of them and to enjoy each day as they discover who You have created them to be.
Continue to bless me with a sense of humor and the ability to laugh.
Amen.
