The month of May seems always to be filled with school projects. I truly believe that teachers are so relieved that testing is over, they feel that it is time for fun. Well, fun for the kids and the teachers not so much for the parents. This year we had Nate's never-ending invention project, Matt's math trip around the world and his social studies project on Mexico, and Dan's My Heritage project. It's about enough to make your hair go gray. (Oh wait, that's already happening.)
Although Matt's and Nate's projects were labor intensive they were pretty straight forward. Dan's on the other hand presented some difficulties. In the past when the boys have brought home a "heritage" project we have gone with the "We are Americans" attitude. Red, White, and Blue all the way. I appreciate my family history but to ask me to make a dish from Poland or write a sentence in Serbian is asking a bit much. So once again we were faced with the "describe your heritage" assignment.
And this is where my Dan surprised me. He looked straight at me and said "Mom, I'm Mormon." It really was an "I should have thought of that" moment. He then dictated as I typed what he knew about his life as a Mormon. He told how he was baptized at eight years old, how he had ancestors who crossed the plains as part of the Oregon Trail on the way to the Great Salt Lake Basin, how he attended church weekly, prayed and read scriptures daily, and how he believed the Book of Mormon was the word of God. Dan asked if he could take a copy of the Book of Mormon to show as he told his teacher and friends about his heritage. As he got out of the car the morning of his presentation he was so excited about what he was going to share.
Later that day when I picked him up from school, I didn't even get to ask how his day went before he was telling me all about his presentation. His eyes lit up and his smile reached from ear to ear as he told me how after his presentation he asked his teacher, Mrs. Ripps, if she would like the copy of the Book of Mormon that he had brought. In his words "And she said YES!!!!"
I continue to be humbled by my children. I am grateful that I am able to witness their moments of greatness.
