What a difference a year makes!

A year ago today, I was sitting in a meeting in Washington, DC waiting anxiously for a call from Willie in anticipation of  his report of the HHS student body election.  It was about 1:00 p.m. EDT when I got the call reporting, "Mom, I won!"  My eyes welled up and we shared a pretty special moment 2500 miles away from each other.

The SBO president experience has been amazing.  I have watched my son grow and develop in ways never expected nor anticipated.  He has carried out his responsibilities with confidence and courage and tenacity and commitment and at very high levels.  He has experienced ups and downs and downs and ups -- he has given it his all!  Early morning assignments and late night poster-making parties have been woven in among football, basketball, and tennis practice; homework for AP and concurrent enrollment classes; family and church commitments; time with family and friends, and more.  He organized painting the "H" in the student parking lot; brought excitement and enthusiasm to assemblies and activities; implemented lunchtime activities, blood drives, food drives, and spare change collection for Toys for Tots.  He also organized a winter "beach party" dance and a couple of meetings for all class leaders and club and organization leaders to keep them up to date on school activities and events. In addition, he made television and twitter headlines when 700+ students left class to do their rendition of the Harlem Shake with Big Buddah of Good Morning Utah Fox 13 News. He is leaving very big "SBO" shoes to fill (literally - size 14).  He has tweeted and texted his fingers to the bone to make sure students and events were recognized and so school spirit would improve. Whew!

Today, a year later, I am, again, away form home.  I got a text this afternoon that the results for this year's SBO election had been announced. The report came from a very mature 18 year old who explained that there were some surprises but mostly the election went as expected. 

I think he is ready to move on to university-level experiences and church missionary service.  He has goals and plans for the future and that makes his family very proud (especially his mother, me).  Rejected by Stanford and not wanting to move away to KU, he will accept a 4-year (8 semester full tuition) scholarship at the "U" and move forward.  My baby boy is becoming a man!  Wow! What a difference this past year has made on his growth and development as a leader and more -- he is such a good boy!  And, I love him!