Lump in my throat and worth a post: Our kids and all the neighborhood kids are participating in a kids triathlon in August. They are training twice a week with a personal trainer and business owner Thrive Fitness Karin Fossey Warden. Getting up and to the pool by 8am, jumping in and freezing their butts off with a cooler than normal summer for Chicago. Today, Joe fell off his bike twice. The second time, biting it pretty hard, actually. Of course, I told him to brush it off, get back on, and keep going. Once we got home, during his two bowls of cereal, he said, Mom, do you know why I got back on my bike? Because I thought of Papa getting shot in the Army and so I got back on. Dude. My throat like did one of those immediate lump ups as you feel emotion shooting everywhere! My father in law, not on FB and I can say with confidence, never will be, is a Vietnam Veteran. We had just told the kids the story this past weekend of when Pete (Lt. Col) was leading his platoon and telling the helicopters where to go, he turned his head and at that moment, unbeknownst to all, a sniper was right below pointing his shot at Petes forehead. Pete turned his head at a moment that only God could plan. So, he has the helmet with the bullet hole coming through that grazed the back of his head. We have a picture of Joe when he was 2 years old with that helmet on. He could barely hold up his head, the helmet is so heavy. Ill try to find it. Anyways, this triathlon training is doing a lot more for these kids than just learning to swim, bike and run in a certain period of time. I could never teach Joe what he learned by falling and getting back up and equating it to his grandfathers heroism. He had to come up with that all on his own. And he did today and Im so proud. Now, Ill be making a phone call to Papa (hopefully can get through the conversation without the lump) and tell him that his 8 year old grandson made this connection and thinks hes the hero of all heroes.
Posted on: Tue, 29 Jul 2014 15:39:25 +0000
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