Have I told you?

I opened Ryan's take home folder last Thursday to find a note, stapled inside that was addressed:
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Bentz
YIKES! Talk about a twinge of fear before I began reading.  It was only the second Thursday of the First Grade for Ryan, and I wondered if my prayers for brilliance and model behavior had gone unanswered.

I was pleasantly surprised.

Words like wonderful, perfect example, works hard, great helper, and thank you.... All the descriptors that a mother prays for.  A beaming smile and deep praise for my son followed, and a heartfelt thank you to him for being as wonderful as he really is.  I am constantly reminded that he is amazing.  I am thankful for it.

My daughter... precocious and beautiful.  Stubborn and smart.  She makes me laugh every day with her incredible silliness, and makes me gasp with her rapidly growing intellect.  I am equally proud of the amazing young lady she is growing into.

My youngest brother, excelling in his junior year of high school and on the football field.  I just feel like he is destined for great things.  A complete package of scholastic achievement and athletic prowess.  Going places.  Shaping his future.

Pride.  I am filled with pride for these young people around me.  Genuinely good kids, who are on the path to grow into wonderful, well rounded, accomplished adults.  I can't wait to see what happens!!