This year, a new law went into effect in Wisconsin, allowing 10-year-olds to hunt. My motherly protection made me wish for my 10-year-old to ignore this law, and my survival instinct wanted all of us to stay out of the woods entirely. But since I married into a family of hunters, my vote didn’t really carry.

The new Wisconsin law requires all 10-12-year-olds to be accompanied by an adult mentor who had completed hunter safety. So both my son and husband took the course together this summer. For my husband, all the material was review – he’d never taken the course before and had been “grandfathered” in. But his own dad was such a stickler about safety, he may as well have already earned the certificate 30 years ago, when his dad started taking him into the woods.

Father and son dutifully went to the class this summer and I’ve never seen my son study for anything like he did this class. He practically memorized the book, and made note cards to practice the questions he thought would be on the test.

Both passed the course and earned their hunter safety badges.

A couple weeks ago, they participated in Wisconsin’s “Youth Hunt” – two days designed to give youth hunters ages 10-15 an opportunity to hunt deer and gain valuable hunting experience at a time when other hunters are not authorized to hunt deer with a firearm.

I couldn’t have been prouder to hear my 10-year-old explain that “he just couldn’t squeeze the trigger” because he wasn’t sure it was a clear-enough shot. Craig didn’t want to wound the deer without killing it. He let Dad take her down and they got another doe tag for the next day, but never got another shot.

Though this can be a dangerous sport, I’m comforted to know both the men in my life approach it with such serious thought. Craig told me, “I think next time I’ll be ready to squeeze the trigger.”

I once read a magazine article that cautioned, “Don’t try to make your Mr. Right, Mr. Perfect.”

What a wise statement.

As years pass, I often find myself doing just that. How easy it is to take our spouses for granted, and get caught up in the stressful stuff of life that ultimately doesn’t matter. If I take even a single step back to look at the whole picture, I quickly understand how fortunate I am to have married this man.

It’s more than the fact that he’s a hard worker, an attentive husband and father, and that he fills the gas tank. He fills the gaps I leave as a parent, he’s playful and loves to fish. And he helps me to become who I want to be. How could I ask for more?

I love you, Mr. Right!

Readers, please join me in wishing him a Happy 40th Birthday!

Summertime. I’m so grateful for this season, and the fact I have so much opportunity to enjoy it while it’s here. It’ not just the weather — although Wisconsin is the best place to be during these months — but also the fact the kids and I are home from school and we all do special things as a family.

I know these moments are fleeting — the walks on shaded pathways, laughing at silly jokes and enjoying each others’ company. But I vow to not grieve their future loss, but rather enjoy the moments while they’re here, for whatever time I have them. These moments will give way to new ones, just like yesteryear’s cute toddler expressions gave way to witty and humorous ones with my preteens.

During these months, I feel fortunate to have the awareness and opportunity to give due attention to the small gifts that usually seem so insignificant. We all have moments to appreciate and celebrate, and if we learn to see them, perhaps their frequency will increase, and the grumpy days will diminish. I’m a work-in-progress in this effort, but am trying — perhaps you’ll join me.

Each weekend I share ways I’m enjoying life and appreciating small gifts. This post is also a part of Fussy’s Happiness Project every Thursday.

One!

Two!

Three!

Jump!

Weee!

Splash!

Gotta love dock-jumping.  And the husband that has so much fun with his kids.
Each weekend I share ways I’m enjoying life and appreciating small gifts. This post is also a part of Fussy’s Happiness Project every Thursday.

Any questions about why we love summer in Wisconsin?

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