Pure Joy

This is one of those posts that I wish I had in video 

rather than in words.

I don't think that my words will be enough.

Josh has been asking Paul for a pocket knife.

"How old do I have to be to get a pocket knife?"

"When did William get his first pocket knife?"

"Do you think I can have a pocket knife for my birthday?"

Paul talked to Josh about responsibility.

He talked to him about how to keep a pocket knife...

and how to lose it.

He told Josh that before he got a pocket knife, he would have to be sure that he was ready.

Monday afternoon, Paul pulled the cutest little 

Swiss Army Knife out of his pocket.

"Do you think he's ready?"

Paul smiled.

That evening, Josh was sitting in the family room.

Paul walked up beside him and turned on the lamp next to the chair where Josh was.

Josh squinted his eyes and covered them 

with his hand and said,

"Oohhhh!  Please turn off the light!"

Paul said, "Look."

Paul was holding the knife in his closed fist.

Josh looked at Paul's fist, confused, 

and then fist-bumped it. 

Paul said, "Open your hand."

Josh, still confused, held out his fist.

Paul said, "Turn it over."

Josh turned his hand over, and Paul placed the pocket knife in his hand.

Silence.

Josh just sat there looking in his hand.

(I get all teary just writing this!)

Then he looked up at Paul.

Just sat there looking up at Paul.

Then Josh started crying!

He said, "Really?"

"Yeah.  Really."

Then Josh stood up and hugged Paul saying, 

"Oh thank you, Daddy!  Thank you!"

Paul looked over at me 

with this surprised look on his face.

I just sat there crying.

I had no idea that this little Swiss Army Pocket Knife would be such an important rite of passage.

I had no idea that it would be so 

important and meaningful to Josh.

I had no idea.

Josh has learned some of the rules that go along with having a pocket knife.

We started with five.

*Always hold your knife by the handle and pointed away from your body...and no running!

*If a friend wants to handle your knife, then their mom or dad needs to be there with them.

*Know who is standing around you and how close they are when you open your knife.

*No showing off.

*Take your pocket knife out of your pocket every night and put it in its special place.

 Then there's the obvious but worth reminding him of...

always tell us when you are planning on using your knife and what you will be using it for.

He knows that as he gets older and shows responsibility in these areas, he will get a little more freedom.

He won't always have to run in 

and ask before carving a stick.

The adage is that every man should have a pocket knife.

Enjoying my little man,