As I lay here in my cozy little room on the banks of the Columbia River, I find myself reflecting over the events of the past five days. Since I am typing this on my phone, I鈥檓 going to leave the in-depth covering of our trip to the Idaho State Youth Shotgun Championship for when I get back home to my laptop.
Right now I鈥檓 going to talk about the boy.
After years of training, endless rounds of skeet, trap, and sporting clays, shooting in every manifestation of weather, getting up to practice after only a couple hours of sleep and managing a restaurant for a twelve hour shift, the kiddo accomplished his goal.
That鈥檚 right, I can proudly say our son is a state champion.
He won gold in sporting clays and skeet and took third in trap. We are so joyful for him!
Honestly though, I am even more proud of him for other things. The way he steps up and coaches his teammates when they are struggling. The way he takes initiative in the face of challenge. The way he throws ice chips with his teammates at his mother in a restaurant at a celebratory dinner. You know those things馃槈馃槅
Truly though, as he finished his last ever round as a youth competitive shooter on Saturday. The hubs and I paused, smiled, and high fived each other.
We have done it my friends! We finished the race!
And at the end of this era of parenting, I can honestly say I鈥檓 all smiles. All of the hard work, being there, stress from trying to not be too there so my kids wouldn鈥檛 become entitled monsters while also trying to be supportive, it was all completely worth it. I am so incredibly awed and proud of my heathens. And now the world gets to be blessed by them.
After I take my revenge with a drive by ice cubing. Mom鈥檚 gotta represent.
And as most of the time, all of the images in this post were taken on the author鈥檚 gun oil saturated and thoroughly elated iPhone