My second son Corbin was born a working man through and through.   At 11 months old he would zip through the house so fast I swear his feet scarcely touched the ground and his mind was just as quick.  There was no down time for this mama!!  Corbin always had a mission and he was eager to help….even when we didn’t need his help.  He often carried a clip board with a whistle hanging around his neck.    Anything with an engine or wheels drew his full attention.   Kids like him are an incredible force of great enthusiasm that has to be carefully directed.  Their spirit is wired for sure success but can just as easily be broken even though no one realizes from the intense exterior how fragile their heart is.  It has been a 17 year balance of guiding him just enough to keep him safe as well as my house intact while encouraging all the talents and energy he has to offer this world.  Sports were an easy solution for the intensity.  He plays hockey and rugby, both very well.   Next was setting strong expectations with clear consequences.   Enforcing the consequences has not been the best part of my job but necessary – the payoff is this amazing, wonderful, hard working young man.

Some of his plans are still a little rough in execution though the end result is generally impressive especially if we get to it without stitches, a fire or missing fingers (all have happened).   Last night was one of those nights where I stood near waiting to see what was going to come of his daily big idea.  It began months ago when I skimmed a bus with the passenger side mirror on my car driving the kids to school.  My “mom fix” was to use clear packing tape where the mirror was damaged so it wouldn’t break further.  I felt good about my solution and it served as a reminder for me to be careful and take my time.  Corbin wanted to jump in and fix it properly however funds wouldn’t allow it and I believe I deserved to drive with a broken mirror as sort of a punishment for my driving blunder.  Finally Corbin could not stand the “Scarlett Letter” approach any longer and purchased the mirror himself on line.

Wednesday’s are one of our busiest evenings since he gets home from his afterschool job with just enough time to eat before heading off to hockey practice. I run Casey to diving practice, there is homework to get to along with all kinds of other odds and ends, therefore when the package arrived earlier in the day, I set it aside so he could wait to get into this project over the weekend.    I should have locked it down since reality is no box goes unopened if Corbin knows it’s there!  I was in my room folding laundry when I heard him coming in and out of the garage, tools in motion and other concerning sounds.  Sure enough he had taken apart the mirror before I could object and was whittling away at his project.  Most would think I would be more grateful for his initiative, which I would have if it wasn’t being done on my dining room table over my grandma’s white tablecloth with shards of glass flying every which way.   I made my fair attempt to stop him but you can’t stop a man in the middle of a mission.  This was going to be done!  It did come with the usual draw backs of mild injury and excessive clean up by me.  Truthfully I insisted on cleaning just after Casey got a piece of glass stuck in his foot that was soon followed by the blood on Corbin’s face and hands which he didn’t even notice happening (safety googles were within reach and gloves were available too, why they aren’t on him is another discussion).  I know better than to trust the cleaning integrity of a 17 year old particularly since glass is not forgiving.  Minor facial scratches that Corbin will wear with honor and grandma’s table cloth now stained in blood tossed in the garbage with all the broken pieces from the project yet I have a beautiful shiny mirror on my car full courtesy of Corbin.  It’s not a perfect story but it’s another happy ending!