Stop yelling at me. I'm grateful.

Every time I open the garage door these days, Joaquin's eyes widen and he shouts something that sounds a lot like "Die! Die! Die!" One may think that this is his baby battle cry against the wasps that want desperately to nest in the rafters, but I know better. This is simply baby babble for "let's play basketball."

We became joggers this summer and whenever we get back to our driveway I retrieve the ball and we shoot some hoops. Or, I shoot some hoops. I was never a WNBA hopeful (tho I may be tall enough), and I'm kind of overall a clutsy gal, but I have always loved to shoot baskets. Now I have an audience. He squeals when I make one and he laughs when I don't. I sit him on the blacktop and he stares and smiles and waves his baby arms in the air until I pass (roll) the ball his way. He catches it, pauses, and rolls the ball back and I attempt another basket. He loves this.

Yesterday I noticed he was doing something different. I passed to him like usual and he caught it, but then he lifted the ball in both arms, looked up and then bounced the ball and let it roll away. We did this over in over until all of a sudden I realized, he's trying to shoot a basket. His little toddler body is a good 15 feet away from the goal. With the ball in his hands his eyes barely peek over the top, but there is no denying he is looking and aiming. He is attempting something that is physically impossible, doing it over and over, and enjoying every minute of it. He loves trying, even when success is very far away.

What an amazing life lesson.

I have learned so much about that this summer. That trying is fun. Most of Joaquin's favorite activities are ones he can't really do at all. He loves puzzles. Or, he loves to put his hand on the pieces while I put them in place, kind of Ouija board style. He likes to draw on the porch. Just straight lines that mom morphs into pictures of ugly pigs and stars and weird sesame street creatures.

I am so grateful to be reminded that frustration isn't always part of the process.