Becoming One

There is something to be said for being the oldest child of 5 kids...much less 5 kids all 4 and under! After all the talks about being a leader, following Christ, helping his brothers and sisters, and having perserverance, sometimes a kid just needs something to call his own...no parents attached! So, I got him hooked up with a local ranch for children and mentors. It is called Refuge Ranch. They pair people up with kids and do work coupled with mentoring and sharing Christ. Although Isaiah is not really "in need" or lacking positive role models in his life, they were gracious enough to let him come anyway. It is really great for him! It is something that is all his, no siblings allowed and he loves to work and be needed. Sometimes at home it is a little hard to let him do all those things he can do because he is capable of so much more than most kids his age. So, as to not imfluence the other kids the same age, he often gets "held back" from what he can do...enter in "frustration"! So we are trying desperately to let go and allow him to be a little more free even though that means my little guy might be climbing counter tops to help himself frequently...who ever said you can't do that anyway? if it gives him more self-esteem, more feelings of being needed and more independence that he is craving, i say "climb those counters all you want!...so long as you ask first!

So he will be "going to work" at the ranch every other week. here are some pictures of his first day at work.

He learned to never wrap a rope around his hand...luckily he learned that the easy way!

He learned to groom the horse.

He even got to ride after all his hard work. it was funny because the girl, Mrs. Kris, asked his where he got his cowboy boots (thanks to mamalane) and he replied, "the same place i got my shirt". so she naturally asked "where did you get your shirt?" and he says, "the same place i got my boots!"

He learned that the small place on a horse's hoof was called a frog! did you all know that?