IT’S ALL ABOUT THE BALANCE!

Avatar AND 16 year boy! Who knew they could co-exist in the same body??!! Ok, obviously not for a real long time but they did for 16 years!

Even before Andrew’s diagnosis I hoped that he was having some typical “kid fun.” The kind of fun you don’t tell your parents about but wasn’t so terrible that you would get arrested either. You know, the things we ALL did and laugh about now.

Andrew was always such a great kid here, very sensible, very careful, so much so that I was concerned that he wouldn’t ever have any fun. BUT I wasn’t go to let him know that! He was a mother’s dream! He thought things through and weighed things up before he did them…..usually. :-)

Well, I had nothing to worry about. Andrew did indeed have very typical BOY fun experiences! Between the lodging of fiery tennis balls for Cory to catch, or running off of Wes’s grandmother’s roof, setting the neighbor’s yard on fire, to all kinds of pyro tricks they did!! He actually did do things that would’ve made my heart stop! I mean besides ascending of course.

Wesley is continuing to share stories of their escapades. Especially now since we are preparing for the 4th of July. The 4th is Andrew and Wes’s special holiday, they spent it together every year. They could play with fire without getting into trouble, well, too much trouble, even with setting the neighbor’s yard on fire 2 yrs. ago. LMAO! No, seriously I am! I LMAO when they told me they did that. But Vern, the neighbor loved the boys and took it well, he was prepared with water hose in hand as the boys took off like 2 bats outta hell! :-D LOL Well, one bat out of hell, Wes started to take off while telling Andrew to take off running and Andrew asking “Why??” I guess he didn’t see the flames right away! LMAO!

Last July 4th was their last time they had together before everything happened. Andrew was diagnosed exactly a week later. I know Wes is really feeling the loss of his best friend now as the 4th gets closer. I took Wes over the weekend, like I did every year with him & Andrew, to the fire works place to buy his pyro supplies. We are making it a very special 4th this year. I gave the $100 back to Wes that he gave for Andrew’s computer since we weren’t close to what we needed to get the computer, to buy a lot of fireworks so we could have a great show in Andrew’s honor. And a great show we shall have with all these fireworks! Plus we are encouraging anyone coming to bring fireworks if they want too! :-)

Normally I just let the boys set off fireworks and don’t do much else. Just that alone is enough for them, fire and explosives. This year we are having a big party! I’m going to get decorations, a cake, watermelon, special watermelon for the adults ;-) and other goodies. I want to make this 4th a special one for Wes. His first 4th of July without his best friend. I’ve been going out with Wes late at night into the yard to watch him set off some fireworks now because that’s what he and Andrew would do.

Wes bought the “Fire Force” which has 1036 things to set off. He also got 24 rockets that are pretty cool. Those I had to hide so he doesn’t set them ALL off before the 4th. :-)

Sooooo Karen T & Leah, if you are not doing anything special feel free to come over and share in the festivities!

So while we did raise ourselves an Avatar, we also raised ourselves a beautiful well balanced 16 yr. old teenage boy who knew how to have fun & loved life here! Of course I did always tell him that “It’s all about the balance Muck!” And he did just that!

IT’S ALL GOOD!