Spread Your Wings

Every single year, on the very first day of school, Brayden is given a paper by his new teacher to fill out asking questions about what all of his life and what his favorites are. Ask any of his previous teachers or his current one and they'll all be able to tell you that his favorite food is taco's, he has a pet ferret named Chewbacca, and his favorite books are the Captain Underpants series.

Every single year the answers have stayed the same, all except the very last one reading "What do you want to be when you grow up?"

In kindergarten it was a waiter (talk about your lofty goals there, kid)
In first grade it was a Wal-Mart greeter (not quite an upgrade from the previous year...)
And in second grade it was a Mythbuster (where he'll join the Discovery Channel show)


Brayden has always been fascinated by all things science, but this year his love for discovering how things work really took off. You'll usually find him carrying around a journal where he jots down his homemade diagrams and myths he's like to bust.

So when Brayden brought home a paper from school saying that his teacher picked him to attend an elite scholars math and science day camp this summer, I was beyond thrilled for him. In ordered to even be considered to attend you have to have average grades of 95% or above and a teacher recommendation, and each area school only sends a small handful of students each year.

Brayden is so smart, and in an age where a lot of children have been dumbed down by mass amounts of video games and vapid tv shows, he never ceases to amaze me.

I picture his future and I see so many endless opportunities for someone like him. He could be an astronaut or a medical scientist who discovers treatments for the world's deadliest diseases. And if he so desires, he could even still be a waiter or a Wal-Mart greeter. I want the world for my child, but I want whatever he does to make him happy.

Just never lose that zest for life and discovery, kid. Let the things that make you happy be what drives you forward. Whether it's busting myths or waving at people from a local mass merchandiser, your mama will always be proud of who you are.