Stand Alone

     One of our sons went on a date this week.  There were  two boys and two girls.  They were going to the movies.  We asked our son what movie they were going to see.  He did not know.  We encouraged him to know before he left.  He darted out the door.  He came home and told us that the other three in his group had gone to a movie together and he had gone to a seperate movie by himself.  It turned out that the movie the other three saw was rated R.  He chose to go to a PG-13 movie instead.  His movie let out earlier than the other movie so he just waited in the lobby.  I am thankful he chose to stand alone.

Hope Goals

     As a teacher one of my main goals each and every day is to see my students not only as they are but as they can become.  I started doing this with my own kids when they were very young.  It is funny now because as they get older I find that I hope, and  hope and hope and have less and less control.  For each of my children I have goals for them and then I have" hope goals".  The difference is when our children were young, I could direct them and move them in the direction of the goals I wanted them to achieve.  Now that they are older, I just have "hope goals."  These are goals that I hope they achieve.  I have had them in mind since they were young but I have no control  if they come to pass.  I hope they do but it is all up to the individual child. For example, I hope that each of my children graduate from college.  Our oldest will graduate from Utah State in May  YEAHHH- one hope goal checked off!!  I hope that each child will find  a wonderful spouse to marry.  I hope that each of them are happy and healthy.  I have many other hopes for them and it helps me to visualize these  "hope goals" when times are challenging!  One thing that  has been rewarding is to share my "hope goals" and the reasoning behind them with our children as they have gotten older.  I hope they have "hope goals" for their children.  It is a way to see our children  for not only who they are but for what they can become. (I always  remember to be flexible with  goals and steadfast with hope--kids change, circumstances change, but life is always good!)