12-26-13 Hey Mom and Dad

Hey Mom and Dad-

I bet you’re pretty surprised to be reading this by about now, since I didn’t get your permission before this hijacking of your blog. And yes, this is what I was writing Monday night when everybody was being so nosy and I wouldn’t let anybody see my computer. I decided that since you are always posting letters praising us kids, it’s about time someone posts a letter praising you two.

Specifically, I want to tell you thanks for all the help you gave me during my first semester of college. As you know, after the first several weeks at ICC I was feeling pretty overwhelmed by a couple tough classes and struggling to get into the swing of studying at a college level. A couple times I was ready to drop one class in particular, after flunking the first two quizzes and getting a C on the first exam. You told me all I could do was my best and that I would do fine, and yep, sure enough, I was able to buckle down and still do well in the class. I’m pretty sure I couldn’t have finished that class without you, even though you never once actually helped with me with the material. I know you gladly would’ve if you had been able to. But now, my classes are done, the semester is over, Christmas break is here, and once again you were right. I survived, did alright, (at least above average, which is a C), and learned how to study at the college level. Even though the classes are only going to get harder, actually much harder, I’m pretty sure I can handle em’ and I know you’ll always be my biggest support team.

Okay, enough of the mushy stuff……I’m still a red-blooded American man with an ego, and I aim to write like one.

I want to thank Mom for all the work she puts into making our family singing group work. From the pictures Mom posts, most of you faithful blog readers probably think we have calm and organized music practices during which everybody cooperates and does their part. Bahahahahahaha. A more typical practice sounds like, “Jake quit belching into that microphone,” “Ben, quit holding your guitar behind your back,” “Levi, wake up,” “Kaitlyn, stop twisting the tuning knobs on my banjo or I’ll whack you - again,” …………..only it goes on for hours. Okay, maybe not hours but at least halves of hours. Or twenty minutes. And I’m pretty sure, deep down inside, each one of us kids likes music practice, although sometimes we do a good job hiding it. Thanks Mom, for being our leader and encourager and praiser. I’m not sure praiser is a word, but you get the point.

And I want to thank Dad for all the things he tolerates us doing, even though he doesn’t enjoy them, and probably downright detests doing some of them. Like ice skating. And sledding behind four-wheelers. And running around at night shooting coons with twenty twos. And sitting on hard bus seats for ten hours at a time just to go to a singing. And the list could go on and on…..But you do and/or tolerate all the above activities because you know us kids have fun doing them. That’s what makes you the great Dad that you are.

Thanks Mom and Dad, and even though I don’t say it a lot because it’s not very cool for a nineteen year old to say, I love and appreciate you both more than you can imagine.

Keep on keepin’ on,

Love, Jesse