Fighting Through

Dalton started his first year of football and tackle no less! His team is the Bulldogs and he plays wide receiver and safety. I have to give this kid credit because he wanted to play football so bad and Drew and I were a bit skeptical because Dalton has always been our sensitive one. Dalton has fought through not knowing as much as the other kids and never shed a tear after full pads and gear like many of the boys did. He has amazed us by fighting through practices and even his first game. It is not to say that he doesn't have his overwhelming moments especially since school started and practice goes until 7:30 at night. He is sticking to his commitment though and I am really hoping that he will stick with it every year.

Dalton's been fighting through emotions and the wows of growing too. With football came a nickname given by the coaches. Dalton's nickname was "Toad." Now I am not sure the reasoning behind the name, but his team members at school would call him that. Soon other kids were saying it, but not in a nice way. He was being teased for something that was supposed to be a positive thing (so the coaches said). Dalton broke down at the end of the first week and told Drew what was going on. Now Drew and I try not to be the overbearing parents, but when your kid is being teased for something that was supposed to be positive, (even though I can't imagine a to positive take on the name "Toad.") Drew called the coach and told him what was going on. A new name was given to Dalton "Warrior." The teasing has since stopped that we know of .

I can't believe the anxiety I have been feeling over my kids lately. I worry about them, how they will be treated, how they will react, how they treat others, will they know how to handle the pressures of the world? I am grateful for the gospel to help teach my children that they are a part of something so much bigger than just this time frame, but the ache of hoping that they remember this, and that they will choose right is daunting at times. I can only imagine what our Heavenly Father feels for each of us. I am sure that He too is wondering, will they remember? Will they choose the right way to make it in this world? All I can say is that like Dalton, I am fighting through. Even though there may be setbacks in my life, like his, I will keep trying.