I'm Proud

[malkin]

Wow!

[Crankin]

He is really amazing. After going back to Germany, he graduated high school there, rode as a pro on 2 teams, went to college part time, started a personal training and bike fit business, came here and rode for the now defunct Ride Aid team, and then, using a connection he made here in MA, got himself into Mesa State College in CO at the age of 24. He's now finishing his 2nd year with practically a perfect gpa. Somehow, this year, he got himself hired as the head cycling coach. So, now, he's running his business on line, racing, going to class, coaching the team, and still seems to have time for normal college stuff.
He makes my biological children seem like slackers!

[Bike Chick]

How cool is that!?! Wow, this kid is really motivated, isn't he? You must've been a great role model

[Crankin]

Well, I like to think that we played some (small) part in this. His own family is awesome, though and all very accomplished.
I am pretty sure the "go to college" mantra he heard from us helped. What amazes me though, is his English. When he came to live with us, he had about 4 years of "school" English. Idioms were very hard for him and he walked around with a notebook, writing down everything we explained to him. I sat with him for endless nights helping him with his writing for English class. He got really frustrated, in the beginning of the year, with The Scarlet Letter. There was one line where the author talked about the guy whipping Hester Prynne. Richard didn't get what "whipping" meant. I remember saying, you know, like beating, with a rope, acting it out. And he said, "Is this sexual?" I just burst out laughing, because I couldn't imagine one of my kids saying this to someone they hardly knew.
We always laugh about the expression "get your money's worth," because we had a hard time explaining the meaning of that one.

[sundial]

Wow! A celebrity in the house. You can brag that you used to wash his sheets, lol.

[redrhodie]

Very cool! He sounds like an awesome guy.