Little Ninja

I hope Cole sleeps well tonight, he should for he left it all out on the field today.   After breakfast, we ran to Lowe's to get some sod and more perennials for the front beds which he helped install, while Amy and Gemma went clothes shopping, before running off to his Soccer game at noon which was immediately followed by a quick lunch and then off to Fabian's birthday party at Little Ninja's.  As usual, despite both of us having advanced degrees, we continue to run to total poop show when it comes to scheduling, planning or any other activity you would think a parent could handle.  We thought Fabian's birthday was on Sunday but luckily one of the parents at soccer said "if don't straighten up, you are not going to Fabian's party" at which point, by the grace of God, I asked "is that tomorrow?" and was quickly informed that is was an hour after today's game.   Because Amy and I at least know how bad we are at scheduling, we buy boys/girls birthday presents at Toy Maven and have them wrapped, waiting in the closet for the next "surprise" birthday party.  I give all the credit in the world to Toy Maven, they do an excellent job wrapping.  Needless to say, Cole was only fashionably late to the party.  Little Ninja's is awesome, it's kinda like a little obstacle courses and here is were the blog gets sentimental. Cole has many challenges in life but by the grace of God I also think he has been given equally as many unique strengths.  He is afraid of heights, obviously very lean including muscle mass but he makes up for it in courage.  I recently told him that courage was being scared to death but doing it anyway and I think it set in. John Wayne once said "Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway", my step-dad who I love and admire greatly, has an old picture of the Duke with that inscription.  There were many things that Cole did today that pushed him beyond his comfort zone but the biggest was climbing a 13 foot rope wall up to platform from which you have to repel down an slanted wall.  The first time he tried, we got halfway up and decided to turn back and go down.  That time, I made go one more run up the rope ladder and count to 5 and then he could go down (yes, I do everything with him so at least he knows I am as invested as he is and yes, know matter how scared I am, I do my best to act like a duck, calm on the surface and paddling like heck under the water).  After a run through the obstacle course, he wanted to try the rope wall again.  This time, we got 3/4 way up and after counting 5, I told him to look down and then look up, the way I saw it, up was easier to go up to the top than go down and he agreed.  He climbed over the top and sat down on the platform with biggest smile you have ever seen and told he me he was scared but did it anyway.  I was so proud of him.  He did the rope wall several more times before the party ended.  Attached are some phone pictures, I actually thought the rope ladder over the foam pit was the most physically challenging but it did not even phase him.