Who knew?

This past week I've been spending some extra time helping my little man with his homework.  He usually brings a packet home at the beginning of the week and we work on it a little at a time, but this last week his assignment has been to write stories.  When I saw this assignment I was a bit apprehensive.  School has not been the easiest thing for my little boy to tackle.  He has spent the last several months adjusting to hearing aids and playing catch up with the rest of the class.  It's been hard, but he's been a real trooper about it.  It's been hard for him to learn the sounds for each letter, and also difficult for him to learn to write them.  It became clear to me how difficult it's been on New Year's Eve when we printed out these fun goal setting sheets.  One of the questions asks what the greatest lesson learned was from the previous year, and his answer was writing.  Although it has been hard, he really appreciates having done it.  So, when the assignment came home from school to write a story each night I was really worried.  He on the other hand was pretty excited to author his own books and illustrate them as well.  My goal was to help him complete the required three books to ensure that he completed the assignment.  He however had something else in mind.  After completing his first book, he told me that his goal was to write at least seven.  Imagine the smile that those words brought to my face.  I had not seen him this excited about homework since, well, ever.  So each day he came home with a different booklet, and each day we sat by the fire and discussed what his stories would be about and how he would illustrate them.  He wrote about his horse, about his dog, and even about the chicken who came to live at our house for several days.  He had so much to say, and he was so excited about it.  Who knew that this would be the case?  Who knew that he would love writing this much?  Who knew that he would want to become a story teller on paper?  Who knew that this assignment would become one of my favorites with him?  Who knew that we would learn to communicate even better by working on this together?  Who knew that something that was so hard for him in the beginning would become something that he loves so much?  Who knew that when he did learn to write that he would do it so very well?  Who knew that his interpretation of things that have happened in our past would make me smile so big?  Who knew that I would love watching him do it so much?  Obviously not me, but this is one surprise that I'm happy to throw my arms around and hold onto forever because who knows where this will take him in life, and who knows what he will become?  Again, not me.  The one thing I do know is that I will always support him when he sets goals, and I will always help him in whatever way I can to get him there, and I know for certain that I will always love him as hard as I do now.  Our days spent here by the fire writing masterpieces together will always be locked up safe in my heart, and I hope that I have a lot more "who knew" moments because this is one of the best surprises I've ever had.