From Preschool to Graduation Day, from Northwest Mustang to North Davidson Black Knight to VALEDICTORIAN to Wolfpack Red - My Midway Boy Accomplishes ALL of His Goals!

I am elated to officially announce tonight that my sweet baby boy is 

VALEDICTORIAN of North Davidson High School's Class of 2014. 

Carson, For all the times that your friends were having fun, and you were at home alone, studying...

THIS IS YOUR DAY!

You have achieved every goal you have ever set for yourself. 

You have only and always brought great joy to our home.

You have made it to the top of your mountain. 

Since the first year they started giving letter grades (3rd grade), you weren't satisfied with any report card that didn't reflect all 100's... in fact, you were crushed. So you set out to always reach 100, and you achieved All A's.

Seven years ago this week, your fifth grade principal, Angie Kiger, gave you "The Principal's Award," at 5th grade Graduation. And on that day... I wondered if you could keep up the pace. 

You wanted a Black Belt after the first karate class in 2nd Grade. By 8th grade, you were an adult Black Belt with Bill Daniels.

At eighth grade graduation, they named you the top math student, and I knew you were on to something... but could you continue the pace when you hit the AP classes?

High School Engineering courses kicked you into looking to the future and you knew you had found your true love. Math became your best friend and you won the school's AMC! With all that love of math, it only made sense that you would attend NC Governor's School for math. 

In the midst of all that academic rigor, you followed your heart and started every July and August's gut-wrenching, hot drilling season, to earn your spot as a BOY OF FALL. A true BLACK KNIGHT! And you ended your junior season a member of the CPC Championship Football Team and runners up to the State Championship game. It gave me great pride to watch you play with all your heart for your community on Football Friday Knights!

As that awesome junior year ended, you were named Chief Junior Marshal. 

You loved Cub Scouts at Midway Methodist, and campouts and Boy Scouts in Welcome, hundreds of service hours, and I KNOW you loved all those hot camp weeks at Cherokee and all across this great state... and as the calendar moved swiftly towards your senior year, you knew you had to crest that final mountain and become an Eagle. And again, with great pride, we watched that happen last fall.

Last month you were recognized as an AP Scholar with Distinction, the highest level. And we figured out you are on track to enter NC State with potentially FORTY AP credit hours.

By senior year, your class respected you enough to name you their 2014 Senior Class President and Most Likely to Succeed. Can't wait to watch you fly after being named a Park Scholar at NC State University, and by the way... thanks,  Carson, for covering your cost for your four year education! 

And finally, as you have reached the end of your high school career... you have been named Valedictorian. 

Of course, as a proud mom, I had to relive all of your accomplishments above, which I'm sure will embarrass you... (I don't care). 

But the most important thing I want to mention, amidst ALL of your accomplishments, is this title:

God's child. 

A young man after God's own heart. A young man with a heart of gold. 

A young man whose parents, siblings and grandparents are very proud to call our own. And baby boy, we are so proud to watch you fly!

A Dedication to Every Person that is Working towards a Dream!

1 Timothy 4:12  “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.”

Joshua 1:7-9  “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Psalm 105:4  “Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always.”

Oh, the Places You'll Go!

by Dr. Seuss

Congratulations!

Today is your day.

You're off to Great Places!

You're off and away!

You have brains in your head.

You have feet in your shoes

You can steer yourself

any direction you choose.

You're on your own.  And you know what you know.

And YOU are the guy who'll decide where to go.

You'll look up and down streets.  Look 'em over with care.

About some you will say, "I don't choose to go there."

With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet,

you're too smart to go down any not-so-good street.

And you may not find any

you'll want to go down.

In that case, of course,

you'll head straight out of town.

It's opener there

in the wide open air.

Out there things can happen

and frequently do

to people as brainy

and footsy as you.

And when things start to happen,

don't worry.  Don't stew.

Just go right along.

You'll start happening too.

OH!

THE PLACES YOU'LL GO!

You'll be on your way up!

You'll be seeing great sights!

You'll join the high fliers

who soar to high heights.

You won't lag behind, because you'll have the speed.

You'll pass the whole gang and you'll soon take the lead.

Wherever you fly, you'll be the best of the best.

Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.

Except when you don't

Because, sometimes, you won't.

I'm sorry to say so

but, sadly, it's true

and Hang-ups

can happen to you.

You can get all hung up

in a prickle-ly perch.

And your gang will fly on.

You'll be left in a Lurch.

You'll come down from the Lurch

with an unpleasant bump.

And the chances are, then,

that you'll be in a Slump.

And when you're in a Slump,

you're not in for much fun.

Un-slumping yourself

is not easily done.

You will come to a place where the streets are not marked.

Some windows are lighted.  But mostly they're darked.

A place you could sprain both your elbow and chin!

Do you dare to stay out?  Do you dare to go in?

How much can you lose? How much can you win?

And IF you go in, should you turn left or right...

or right-and-three-quarters? Or, maybe, not quite?

Or go around back and sneak in from behind?

Simple it's not, I'm afraid you will find,

for a mind-maker-upper to make up his mind.

You can get so confused

that you'll start in to race

down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace

and grind on for miles across weirdish wild space,

headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.

The Waiting Place...

...for people just waiting.

Waiting for a train to go

or a bus to come, or a plane to go

or the mail to come, or the rain to go

or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow

or waiting around for a Yes or a No

or waiting for their hair to grow.

Everyone is just waiting.

Waiting for the fish to bite

or waiting for wind to fly a kite

or waiting around for Friday night

or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake

or a pot to boil, or a Better Break

or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants

or a wig with curls, or Another Chance.

Everyone is just waiting.

NO!

That's not for you!

Somehow you'll escape

all that waiting and staying.

You'll find the bright places

where Boom Bands are playing.

With banner flip-flapping,

once more you'll ride high!

Ready for anything under the sky.

Ready because you're that kind of a guy!

Oh, the places you'll go! There is fun to be done!

There are points to be scored.  there are games to be won.

And the magical things you can do with that ball

will make you the winning-est winner of all.

Fame!  You'll be famous as famous can be,

with the whole wide world watching you win on TV.

Except when they don't.

Because, sometimes, they won't.

I'm afraid that some times

you'll play lonely games too.

Games you can't win

'cause you'll play against you.

All Alone!

Whether you like it or not,

Alone will be something

you'll be quite a lot.

And when you're alone, there's a very good chance

you'll meet things that scare you right out of your pants.

There are some, down the road between hither and yon,

that can scare you so much you won't want to go on.

But on you will go

though the weather be foul

On you will go

though your enemies prowl

On you will go

though the Hakken-Kraks howl

Onward up many

a frightening creek,

though your arms may get sore

and your sneakers may leak.

On and on you will hike

and I know you'll hike far

and face up to your problems

whatever they are.

You'll get mixed up, of course,

as you already know.

You'll get mixed up

with many strange birds as you go.

So be sure when you step.

Step with care and great tact

and remember that Life's

a Great Balancing Act.

Just never forget to be dexterous and deft.

And never mix up your right foot with your left.

And will you succeed?

Yes! You will, indeed!

(98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed.)

KID, YOU'LL MOVE MOUNTAINS!

So...

be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray

or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O'Shea,

you're off to Great Places!

Today is your day!

Your mountain is waiting.

So...get on your way!

Going for the Gold Medal

  So we just dropped our 18 year old son off at the Park Alumni Center at NC State University. The sound of his hands quickly rubbing back and forth in the car means he's super excited. As I watch him exit the Highlander, he's rocking the whole sharp-dressed man thing. But, as his mom, I still see my curly-headed toddler, with that beautiful smile at the ready, eager to please.
  So I'm holding it together pretty well.... Until... We walk away from the Alumni Center hand in hand, and Kevin says, "this is the moment. Just like the 18-year old young woman standing atop the ski slope last night. She has spent her entire life waiting for this moment. Because she's in first place, she's the last to go down the mountain. With a good run, she will win the gold. If she falls, or even just catches her skis, she will not. The whole world is watching. It's not unlike Carson going to this interview today. He's lived his whole life to make it to this point.
   He's studied hard to get good grades each and every year. He's worked on Scout projects, and school projects, and clubs. He survived the senior project, a dozen AP courses, 4A football and his Eagle Scout. He's now at the top of his mountain. We know as parents that if he slips or stumbles today, he will still be just fine."
   For all those evenings taxi driving from one ball field to the next, and all those endless hours of homework, for all the weekends filled with games and a house full of locust boys, for all the mornings filled with Kevin playing "Reveille" at top volume to wake him up for school, and rushing to make sure kids were fed and backpacks ready, and as of late, for all the essays written and scholarship applications sealed with a quick prayer and a stamp.... The finale is near.
   Carson's about to win his gold medal. This is his time. Whether or not he wins the Park, he's already won. He's won because he never quit. He's won because he's finished strong. He's won because everyone that knows him, loves and respects him. He's won because he has a heart for service, for those in need of help, for good and for what's right. Congratulations, baby boy! You've made it and today is your day! Go ski that mountain! - Jeremiah 29:11

   We love you son,
    Mom and Dad

Update: February 28, 2014 - Carson has EARNED his gold medal!!! He has been named to the NC State Park Scholarship Class of 2018! 

The Life-long Benefits of Scouting

    We've been a scouting family for 16 years. From Cub Scouts, thru Pinewood Derbys, to Raingutter Regatas, car washes, skating, outings, barbecue chicken fundraisers, from popcorn sales to Camporees, from Bobcat to Webelo, arrow points, from Arrow of Light to crossing over to Boy Scouts, sewing on a million patches, finding the neckerchief and slide for the hundredth time at the last minute, washing and ironing uniforms for the gazillionth time, learning knots, living by the Scout Oath and Scout Law, going on campouts, rafting, beach trips, snow skiing, battleships, fishing, kayaking, jet skis, summer camp, Order of the Arrow, Tsoiotsi Tsogalii ordeals, Cherokee to Raven Knob to Boddie, Eagle projects, courts of honor and receptions, from new scout to Eagle, from troop guide to senior patrol leader to Eagle, it has been a character-building, life-changing, boys to men experience. One we will never, ever forget. Carson's Eagle Scout Ceremony was held Sunday, January 5, at Pinedale Christian Church. I wanted to post the letter I wrote to Carson and read at the ceremony.

      Soar like a Bird. Fly like an Eagle.  Hit the peak and continue to strive for the top in all you do.  We as parents urge our kids towards independence and excellence because after all, we want our children to be better than we are.

Carson, you have always set yourself apart. I mean that in the best of ways: from the time you were a toddler until now you have observed, considered and then taken action.  You truly have always marched to the beat of a different drummer. And in all you do you display integrity and excellence. It is who you are.

     As an Eagle Scout you are expected to be a leader for the rest of your life. You will forever carry the title of Eagle Scout and be expected to represent your fellow Eagles with pride and dignity. And as you have already acknowledged at your young age, a true leader must first gain the respect of others before he can truly lead. It means adhering to your values, applying your knowledge and striving towards the goals that are meaningful.

     The fact that you, Carson, have never followed the convenient path of conformity is in itself,  leadership. Your classmates respect you, and have called you to leadership as their senior class president and voted you “Most Likely to Succeed.” Your fellow scouts respected you enough to elect you their senior patrol leader as a freshman. You have set yourself apart academically by being ranked at the top of your class for three and a half years. You earned your adult black belt at 14. A finalist for the Hugh Shelton Leadership award at NC State, even a university recognizes your potential for future leadership.

     Those things said, as your mom, you know how proud I am of you. I am proud of you for being interested in such a variety of intellectual, athletic, musical and religious pursuits and for never being satisfied with the ordinary, but rather staying in pursuit of the extraordinary.

So in your honor and to truly commemorate this occasion, I want to challenge you to NEVER lose that thirst for knowledge, and to stay true to your sense of integrity, right and wrong, and to never lose your faith even when the easy choices could take you in opposite directions.

     As the sun sets tonight, so ends the youth chapter of your life and adulthood begins just as a new sunrise.  I charge you, Carson, to undertake your Eagle citizenship with a solemn dedication.  Be a leader, but lead only with careful consideration.  Lift up every task you do and every office you hold to the highest level of service to God and to your fellow man.  So lead and serve, that those who know you will be inspired to live their best life.  We have too many who use their strength and their brains to exploit others and to gain selfish ends.  I charge you, Carson, to be among those who dedicate their skill and ability for what is good and what is right. I will forever be proud to be called your mom. I love you forever, my sweet boy.