Who knew?

Sometimes people surprise you. Not often, but it can happen.

That's the case with my stepson. He came home from his job as a beach lifeguard last night and was pretty excited. Seems he had met a girl "hotter than Florida" (his words not mine) and had gotten a date with her for last night. He was planning to take her to a movie and then "hang out." He paced around the house after dinner like a death row inmate on final watch. He was nervous. He double checked to make sure he had his wallet. Finally, the time arrived and off he went to get his date, admitting on the way out the door he felt like he might throw up.

Cute that a 6-ft tall, blonde, blue-eyed, handsome young man of 18 could be this nervous about a date with a girl he hardly knew.

An hour and a half later, he was back. Looking dejected. I thought maybe he'd been stood up. But no, that was not the case. Seems he picked up the lovely lady, but instead of a movie, she wanted to go to a party she'd heard about on the beach and spend the evening drinking, etc. Stepson decided that was not for him and if that was what she really wanted to do, he would take a pass.

So he spent the evening back at home playing video games with his sister. 

Stepson is very focused right now. He is in the midst of applying  to the coast guard. He knows in order to have a shot at his ultimate goal - rescue swimmer - he has to work hard, keep his nose clean and be the best he can be. He does this every day at work now as a lifeguard. Each day he sits on that tower watching his water, young ladies come by trying to get his attention. He even told us that last week a couple of girls came up and offered him a beer. When he told them he was underage, they said "that's ok, we are too." He brushed them aside with "I'm on duty."

This morning he had the day off. His dad wanted some yard work done, but he wanted to spend the day fishing with his buddy. So he got up at 7:30 a.m. and started on yard work so he could get it done early and then be off to fish. 

If God herself had told me a few years ago that this child would be so good natured, hard working, focused and positive, I wouldn't have believed it. Call me pleasantly surprised.