Number 88

To say I'm proud of Justin these days would be the biggest understatement known to man. If you know my son, you know that he's sometimes a bit crazy and he sometimes has a hard time focusing. Recently, the changes taking place in him are absolutely amazing to me! For example, right now he's sitting at the table happily working on his homework, working hard on his letters, and concentrating on putting his words in order like he's supposed to. I started this post to talk about him on the football field - where his progress is even more tremendous - but I got sidetracked by another of his accomplishments.

Back to football: Last year, he had a hard time understanding the game and he often had his priorities set to hanging out on the sidelines whenever he could with his good buddy Carson. This year, he's 100% devoted to his team and to leading the defense whenever he has the opportunity to. Here you see him (number 88) running full tilt toward the quarterback ready to stop the pass. His focus and drive are enough to make him something great and I am proud to see him understand that when he tries his best, he can do anything. He's growing up way too fast but I sure am proud of the person he is becoming.

I was able to volunteer for an hour in his class this morning and I got to see him bravely raise his hand to read out loud when Mrs. Dufour asked them to read her journal entry on the board. He read the whole thing, strong and brave, and didn't worry when he messed up. To me, it showed his new found confidence and pride in his work thanks to the success he has found since moving here.