Through Another's Eyes - Chapter 2

We loaded up the Zoie-monga this morning, along with Little Brother 1, and headed down to Christoval. We arrived at the trainer’s mid-morning. Tina, our trainer, was running around on a four-wheeler. LB1 liked the look of that…while she was working, MLH and LB1 looked for arrowheads, and found some fossils. When Tina finished her errands, LB1 engaged his best plan... "Ask, and ye shall receive!"

LB1: Miss Janie, can I ride on that?

Me: Don’t know…why don’t you ask Miss Tina if she’ll give you a ride? Have you ever been on a four-wheeler?

LB1: No, ma’am. Miss Tina, may I have a ride, please?

Tina: Sure, hop on back here, and I’ll take you to the barn.

LB1 comes back from that ride grinnin’ like a possum. Then, Tina’s daughter shows up, and takes LB1 on another ride. Next thing I know, they’ve progressed to LB1 riding in the front, with Tina’s daughter behind him. And then…he’s driving it by himself (albeit in second gear only)! The child went from never having ridden a four-wheeler to piloting one solo. He was absolutely beside himself.

Leaving Zoie at the trainer’s (very difficult to do!), we go back towards Lake Nasworthy, where we’re meeting friends and their sons for late lunch, after first stopping by their new lakehouse. We find out LB1 has never been to a lake. He plays on the dock and throws rocks into the lake…he’s having too much fun. After touring the house, which is under heavy remodel, we head to the restaurant. The party has now grown to 10 people. While we’re all visiting, I hear that we’re all going on a boat ride. After inquiry, I find our friends have invited us to yet another treat: riding in their wakeboarding boat, watching Blake, the youngest son, wakeboard and ski! LB1 is ecstatic.

We secure LB1 in a lifejacket, and he immediately tries to get his hair wet, his feet wet; finally, we strip him down to his boxers (the water is a cool 65 degrees!), put his lifejacket back on, and let him make the decision to go in, or not. It took a while, but finally, with Blake holding his hand, and on the count of three, LB1 went right in…and came up screaming, sincerely, “Save me! Save me!” (Turns out this is also his first lifejacket - and he didn't know to trust it.) Check out his face in the second picture.

It took a second for him to realize he was alive and okay, and with a little encouragement, soon we were unable to keep him out of the water. When he finally got out for the last time, he told me, “Miss Janie, thanks so much for helping me get my confidence!” He was so cute – and so cold!

He was amazed by Blake's skiing and wakeboarding ability, as were we. (I love my camera, can you tell? I took over 500 shots today, lots of them sequential shots of Blake showing off his skills in the water!) Blake and his dad promised LB1 that if he came back, they'd teach him how to ski and wakeboard - and of course, LB1 is ALL over that!

On the way back, LB1 was treated once more – he got to sit with Blake and drive the boat.
I called his mom and confessed all his firsts (and of course, that he was safe at all times) and she started laughing – she thought it was awesome that her son had been able to experience all he had. I’m glad she trusts us with her boy! He was a blessing to every one who found themselves caught up in this day – and once again, it was great to see everything through his eyes. LB1 made it brand new, for all of us today…

Sometimes totally unplanned days are the best…I know today was great in one little man’s eyes.