Slice of Life

Slice of Life
Join the slicing for the month of March

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Proud Parents


We have two sons…
Our oldest is thirty-one. He has his father’s gate, stance, and way of thinking. He has my smile and love of learning. He was always a teacher’s student…homework done, hand raised, and offering to do more. He was a swimmer through high school and college. He spent college summers in Alaska mapping volcanoes as he honed his love of nature into a career. His ambition took him to graduate school and then across the country accepting a position at the Lawrence Berkeley Labs. He works with other scientists in the field of geochemistry tracking pollution around the word, looking for energy solutions, teaching others how to perform experiments and use multimillion dollar machines. This is the one job he wanted, sought out, and got. He has been there for eight years and I expect will be there in another eight years.
Our youngest son will be thirty next month. He has my coloring and love of people. He has his father’s eyes and directness. Like his dad, in school, he was always a square peg not fitting in a round hole. He got it the first time and had little patience to sit and wait while others processed. Teachers found him exasperating because they could not provide for him as he wished. He just didn’t like school. We moved him ahead a year to try to quiet the frustrations for all. He tried his hand at wrestling, tennis, and golf in high school. He played intramural sports in college. He went to college on a five-year plan alternating school with internships in large companies... learning about business, accounting and tax. His ambition kept him in Philadelphia working for a variety of finance companies. He specializes in corporate tax. He is highly marketable because he is meticulous and a worker. His ability to put together thousand piece puzzles as a child has transformed into finding mistakes on spreadsheets of numbers. He is never quite satisfied with any job. He won’t be…until he becomes his own boss.
Our two sons could not be more different in looks, personality, interests, and their approaches to work. We are so proud of both of them and thankful they are themselves, finding their way, being who they were meant to be.

9 comments:

  1. This sounds like a VERY proud Momma to me! You should be proud of them! My children are also slices of their dad and me; however, the sum of their parts is as different as night and day!

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  2. You have every reason to be proud! It always amazes me how offspring can be so different, sometimes it is like the second child's mission in life is to be as different as possible from the first.

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  3. Raising children to be productive citizens is a tough job. It's okay to savor the accomplishments of your sons. You should be proud of these boys. Well done Wanda!

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  4. Yes, you may bask in the joy of children who have become exactly who they were to become. This is not only good for you to share, but for your boys to know you are proud of who they are. Enjoy them!

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  5. To your mother-in-law: Yes, it's bragging, but how wonderful for a mother to have such things to brag about in their children. I think it's a great post. I'm surprised you have kids that old because you look so young in your picture. You should be proud of them. They should be proud of you too.

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  6. I always "brag" about my kids and grandkids - cause that's what parents/grandparents do. This type of bragging helps to encourage then and let them know how proud we are of them. It sounds like you raised two very intelligent boys.

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  7. Not bragging, describing two great kids! I'd be proud if I could write a post like this in about ten years!

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  8. Thanks to you all for your understanding when a mom just needs to say...I just love those boys:)

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  9. No wonder you are a proud mama...two wonderful young men! Thanks for sharing your "boys"!

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