Courage

C is for COURAGE...we got to learn this summer about the importance of overcoming our fears and having courage. Our kids have taken their time revving up the nerve to go off the high dive at the pool. (Maybe due in part to the fact that we always go in the evening, and their friends are not around to push them?) Anyhoo, after lots and lots of prodding, it was our Katie-bug who took the first leap! Then, not to be outdone by her little sister, Jake tried to work up some nerve. It took quite a bit of work for him to get over that last little hump of fear, (tears and everything-he wanted it soooo badly). Then--- he did it! Everyone at that end of the pool was shouting for joy! It was great---when he leaped off the board, his expression was that of panic. When he came up out of the water, he was thrilled, and he did a happy dance all the way back up to the board again. By the time our evening at the pool was over, we had lost track of how many times they had gone! Hooray! And then, when I wasn't looking, Maddie went down the slide for the first time! We took the opportunity to have the kids think about how hard that was, and how they work to get over it, and it was all about COURAGE. It was great to have a tangible experience to learn from...and have them be old and mature enough to "get it"! When we got home, they got to have Candy for Courage! We were so excited and proud.