Happy Birthday Kurt!

Kurt turned 15 on October 20th.
Kurt had an assignment at the beginning of the year from his history teacher (our neighbor and my very good friend) "Parents, describe Kurtis in 1 million words or less". I am posting my assignment:

It is a joy to tell you about Kurtis; he is one of my most favorite people in the world!

Kurt enjoys the outdoors and sports. He loves fishing and hunting, boating, swimming, and riding his motorcycle. His favorite sport is football, but he also loves basketball. He competes well in sports because he understands the rules of the game, and works hard to do well. It is hard for him to lose—in the first grade Mrs. Martin told me “Kurt is very competitive. He hates it and gets angry when the girls win in P.E.”. Mrs. Franklin in the second grade suggested I encourage Kurtis to be more mindful of others and not feel the need to be first all of the time. It is nice to see Kurtis mature, as he is becoming aware that there are appropriate times to compete, however being kind and encouraging to others is just as important.

Kurtis has a good mind. When Kurt was little, he laughed a lot. He laughed at jokes, funny TV shows, and comic books. It always brought me joy to hear his cute laugh. As he is older, his sense of humor is maturing and I love to hear him tell me things that make him laugh (especially when he tells funny stories about our next door neighbors! -Jk-) Because Kurtis has a good mind, he also does well in school. It is easy for him to learn, and he enjoys the challenge of schoolwork. We encourage him to be serious about learning…because he is smart he could coast through school. He is aware of the importance of education.

Kurtis is (almost) an Eagle Scout. This is a great accomplishment! He has worked to earn merit badges that have exposed him to many life skills, including (among many others) the outdoors, the nation we live in, emergency preparedness, lifesaving, first aid, and camping. He is required to live the Scout Law, and is on the lookout for ways to help others. With his scout troop and church group, he does a lot of community service. He chops and stacks wood for the elderly, sacks potatoes for those in need, helps with yard work, irrigation, and animals. Sometimes it is hard for Kurt to give up his free time, but I am pleased to see his maturity and know that he is making good choices on how to spend his time.

Kurtis is not perfect. The other day, he and I were having an argument. Bret and I left together for a meeting we needed to attend. Promptly, once Kurt discovered his error, Kurtis called Bret’s cell phone and asked for me. He apologized for being wrong. I was happy inside after this experience. I was happy to see that Kurtis is a sweet young man, who is responsible for his actions and is willing to say “I’m sorry”. Life in our imperfect home, with an imperfect mother, father, and siblings, equates to a perfect family when we all are willing to say “I’m sorry” and be forgiving! Thanks Kurt, for your great example!

Kurtis is an important part of our family, and I am lucky to be his mother!