Lulabelle Photography by Jessica White » Blog

After months of having our grass completely trampled by kids playing soccer, we decided to take action, and the answer to our turf woes… was tetherball. We have some serious competitors around here, so each game of tetherball is like a mini action movie. There is the dramatic serve, the battle between opponents, the thrill of victory and the crushing defeat. The best part is, my grass is safe. They also use our ally/driveway for pick up soccer games, airsoft wars and the occasional round of handball. And then there is THE CLIMBING TREE. It’s a tall gorgeous magnolia that can often be found dripping with children. My brother and I climbed it with our friends as kids and now my kiddos do to. It has perfectly spaced branches that flow right up to the top of the tree, once there, you can see for miles. Playing outside is a lost art for many kids these days, I’m so thankful that we live in a neighborhood filled with kids and friendly faces, even if my grass does get trampled.

As I look at this photo of my sons, I can’t help but wonder what the future holds for them. Growing up in the 80′s, kids were pumped full of self esteem and set loose on the world. We were told that if we worked hard enough we could accomplish anything and pursue any career we wanted. Will my boys have that same sense of empowerment when they graduate? Probably not. They are going to have to accomplish more, volunteer more, learn more and prove more, just to get into a decent college. That’s a whole lot of MORE. And not only do they have to be MORE, they need to be excellent human beings at the same time! That last part shouldn’t be too hard though, they are both well on their way to becoming excellent human beings. I just want the world to open up to my boys, so that they can dream and achieve MORE than they ever thought was possible. Is that to much to ask?