It's all in the heart (even if there's a whole in it!)

9th grade seems, so far, to be going wonderfully for C.  He's enjoying all his classes, and for the most part he's taking all honors courses.

He finally made a break through on finding the key on helping him relax on his math tests......chewing gum!  Yes, something as simple as chewing gum has made such a difference in his outlook on math tests and his grade!!  If you all didn't know, since 5th grade, we've struggled with C freezing up on math tests (no other classes did he do this with, just math, and math is his best subject and has been in honors math!).  

Other good news...C got to start in two JV games!  We are soooo proud of him!!  I can't express how far he has come.  He knows he still has a way to go and to still keep working at earning a starting spot for each and every game.  Right now a goal of his is to start for the last home game of the season because the JV starters get their names announced (they announce the starters for the Varsity team every game but not the JV team).

Who would of ever thought 14 years ago when he was diagnosised with his VSD, that C would be at this place in his life.  It shows that even with a heart that was made imperfect, you can accomplish anything you strive for.  As this is what I've tried telling C from day one, while he endured the testing (which will last the rest of his life), the annual doctor's appointments, the extra precautions to sickness, etc..., I explained to him that someday, somehow, all this that he's going through he will be able to help someone else.  Whether it's to explain to someone what it's like to get an EKG.  We know we've been blessed to this point in our lives and don't take it for granted.  Now, C is blessing us with what a wonderful man he is growing into.  Because no longer do I have my little boy, but I have a young teenage son on the brink of his adulthood and OH BOY, I can't wait for these next 3 years!

~Danine