Is That My Wooden Spoon Being Used As A Prop For A Knife?

I've been thinking today about my middle- not my midsection, but my middle child.

My second-born.

My third pregnancy.

My ever-changing boy.

He has always been unique, as each child should be. If you've been around this blog long enough, you've probably watched a few of those changes with me. I well remember the days of the hair growing out and the mostly black clothes and a few chains swinging from his skinny jeans. He left us scratching our heads on more than one occasion, and yet always had us laughing. He's got a way of doing that. 

This has been a good year for him. He's part of a criminal justice program at his school and has his sights set on college after he graduates next year. Last night the husband, a former criminal justice guy himself, decided it was time to show his boy a thing or two. I had already turned in for the night when the house shook... literally. I cautiously peeked out my bedroom door to see the husband and the son in the midst of a little self-defense training that involved props for weapons and scenarios of criminal intent (I'll omit those as to not cause alarm... or phone calls of worry).

An hour or so later the husband came to bed and I remarked how happy he looked. Nodding his head, he said his only wish would be that we could afford to provide the middle with some kind of professional (physical) training in addition to his education. I looked at him a little surprised. 

What do you call what you were just in there doing? I asked.

I'm not exactly a professional, he replied. 

Really? I wondered out loud. I mean, you're only somebody who has lived it. Somebody who has actually fought the bad guy, more than once, and is still around to teach your son. If that's not a professional, I don't know what is.

He sighed and we moved on to other topics, but I was once again reminded of how thankful I am that I married a man who is absolutely, positively devoted to our family. This morning the middle remarked how much that meant to him... his dad showing him a thing or two. 

And that made me smile and think about our kids most of the day.

Each one special.

And in no way my favorite. =)