3-17-11 Hey Kids…

Today is March 17. Know what that means? (Probably not.) Well, it means that it’s been exactly 2 months since we signed Jesse up for his first college class.

Have you noticed that the basement looks much better these past couple of days? We can actually use our ping pong table again. These last few weeks it has been overtaken…by Political Science 115.

When we signed Jesse up for this class, nowhere in the course description was there any hint that it required a research project with its accompanying endnotes plus reference synopses plus a full bibliography. We didn’t know what we were getting Jesse into. But. Forty references (several 200+ page reports, like the ones from the CBO and OMB) and countless hours later, a well-written 46-page paper resulted. We survived.

So what did we learn?

First, Jesse learned how to write a research paper. It rivaled any of Dad’s college research projects in his four year career and quite handily surpassed anything Mom ever attempted at U of I. What Jesse learned these past weeks will serve him a lifetime as he continues his college career and beyond. Whether used for an academic, political, professional, social, personal, Biblical or any other reason, the skill of written communication is a powerful tool.

Second, we learned that parents can teach their own kid how to write a 46-page research paper. Sure it was hard, but Dad & Mom wouldn’t trade those teaching moments for anything. Teaching moments…like when Dad lost his cool and used a household forbidden word one late night. Dad learned (again) how to apologize and ask forgiveness. Teaching moments… like Mom just being in the room and available, giving Jesse the confidence and support to keep plugging away when he was ready to quit. She was the cheerleader from start to finish. Mom learned (again) to just be there. Teaching moments…like when Jesse would get so tired of our editing and discouraged that this paper was never going to get done. He learned it takes perseverance and hard work to write 46 pages. He did it, and he did it well.

Third lesson. Life isn’t always fair. During this last two months, Dad & Mom spent a lot of time with Jesse, teaching, researching, reviewing, editing, proof-reading, and cheerleading. The rest of you got slighted on time with Dad & Mom, but hey, sometimes that’s how it goes. There are many times when life isn’t fair between you kids. Like when we spent $5,000 on Tori’s braces. And when Mom spent extra hours teaching Jacob to read. And when Levi had heart surgery. And when Joshua is sick and needs Mom. And this fall when we built Levi’s pigeon coop.

But you know what?

That’s what makes us a family. We pull together, buck up, and get ‘er done. Regardless of whose turn it is. Or what it takes. Through thick and thin, rain and sun, we’re there for each other.

Saturday night - you kids pick the place. The Kaisers are going out.

Keep on keepin’ on.

Dad & Mom