Michael started wrestling last night. He is 10, and a pretty big boy. We breed em' big here in the Rhodes household. He is about 5'3, and 150lbs. A heavyweight like his big brother William, who at 14, is 6'3'' and around 250lbs. I have been excited to see William being supportive, coaching him, helping him work out in preparation for wrestling. I do have a little incentive dangling, a 1/2 hour of video game time during the week, if he does the job with a smile on his face and doesn't torture his little brother. Even with the bribe involved, it is nice to see them having fun together. Jack has been working out too, he is the smallest in the bunch. He is about 5'6", and 150lbs. He is trying to bulk up for high school football. He prays nightly for his growth spurt to hit. It is tough being only 15 months younger than your older brother, but significantly different in size. He has a heart and passion as an athlete. He has always been the one who is the most aggressive, who suits up for practice with no complaint, who practices in the driveway. Seeing your older, lazier brother get kudos's and grace from coaches because he is so big has got to rub a little. On the up side, now that William is off the couch and working out every day, he and Jack have more in common! Nick, age 4 (at a stunning 3 ft tall, and 40lbs) will likely be the best athlete in the bunch, he will start competing in hockey in the fall. A little healthy competition is in the air.
I am helping to prepare a baby shower for a young woman at our church. She is young, just 22. Thinking about her, and what the future may hold for her and her little family, got me to thinking about life at 22. Much has changed for me since I was 22. That was really a difficult time. I didn't realize at the time that it was difficult. I had graduated from college, was having a post college, pre-real life, super good time. I was bar tending, partying, picking up and traveling to far away places to party some more. I didn't really have much in the way of financial responsibility yet, and my parents were living in Egypt-- leaving me in charge of the house and my younger sister. It was an "out all night, sleep all day", kind of life. To be honest, I was setting a pretty poor example for my sister, who at the time was working full-time at a nursing home, and was far more responsible than I was. Looking back at that time, and even later, till about age 25, it make...
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