Dirty Laundry: Jackson Hits Double Digits

Jackson Paul Richard Isaacs was born May 2, 2003 at 11:28am. While he was in utero, I knew he was going to be busy. But, day 4 of his life completely confirmed that. Most of you won't believe this, if someone else told the same story I doubt I would believe them, but, it's true nonetheless. The 4th Day of his life, I took him to get his picture taken. While we were trying to get the picture you see below, he was pushing himself forward with his toes. Had we left him to his own devises, he would have pushed himself off the table. At... 4... days... old.

The ninth year of his life would prove to be no less entertaining or nerve-wracking. When we were still living in Ohio, he came running up the stairs yelling my name. Practically out of breath, he says, "I wanted to try a back handspring so I stood up and prayed, 'God, don't let me kill myself, and I DID IT!! I CAN DO A BACK HANDSPRING!' Sure enough, I followed him down to the carpeted floor to see one of the most beautiful back handsprings I've ever seen from someone with no training.

The adventure didn't stop there. This year he has swam in the Pacific Ocean, surfed on the Atlantic Ocean, completed a high ropes course, zip lined, hiked several mountains, learned to fly fish... and made friends with the old men at the YMCA.

What?! How does that last thing fit in there? I don't know. This is what I do know.

We took Jackson out of school in January to homeschool him (L O N G... S T O R Y). So, almost every day we go to the YMCA. I take some kind of fitness class and Jackson plays. At least that's what I thought he did. I leave him at the big open gym at the Y where he can shoot baskets or kick the soccer ball or run around with all the other kids who also are homeschooled. When I come out of my class after an hour, he's waiting for me in the lobby. In the lobby, there's chairs and tables and coffee. It might be the greatest YMCA.

As we are leaving one day, he starts saying bye to all these old men. "Bye Jim! See you Ted! Have a good day Fred! See you tomorrow Tom!" I stopped and looked at him. I wish I could have a picture of my own face.

"What in the world?" I say as we walk out the front doors. "How do you know those men."

"Oh! They're my friends. I talk to them everyday!"

"What!?"

"Yeah... sometimes I go down and watch them play racquetball and we talk."

Hmmmm... so everyday.

"Oh... hey Ted! Your late today!"

OR

"See you tomorrow Bill!"

What? Where are the 9 and 10 year olds?

So, yesterday I finish my class. I'm pouring sweat, dead tired and starving. I go to the gym to get Jackson. I see his bag, his basketball shoes and his basketball... but no Jackson. So, I head down to the racquetball courts. I look through the glass into the room and there's my almost 10 year old... goggles on, racquet in hand, sweating and red faced, playing racquetball with a 70 year old man and a 50 year old woman. They walk over to the door, open it, "Hey I'm Jim." (Shakes my hand) The woman comes over, "Hi! I'm Michelle." (Shakes my hand) and then Jim looks at me and says, "You mind if we finish our game? He's really good!"

And, so I sit down on the big leather ottoman right outside court A and watch my son finish a game of racquetball ... for the next 20 MINUTES with a two much older people. And, I smile because that's my son and wherever he goes he wins the heart of people and I think how much I love him and how blessed I am and how... if he doesn't hurry up... I might start eating the ottoman.

I LOVE YOU BUDDY!!!!! Happy 10th Birthday!!!!