Jason the Climber

So Jason has gotten into Rock Climbing, and I have never seen this boy as focused and continually interested in anything in his life! He has been on the LTF Rock Climbing team for 6 months now and eats, breathes, and talks rock climbing 24 hours a day! The really impressive part is that he is VERY good. And I don't just say this because I am his mom and, as I should be, biased. His coaches all adore him and he has particularly taken to one, Coach Jason.

Coach Jason is one of the nicest people I have ever met - we have gotten to know him through LTF Rock Climbing and are lucky to consider him a friend. Our Jason ADORES him, for good reason and I cannot think of a better person as a role model for my little guy, other than his father (who so totally rocks! Holla!) Travis and I have been so impressed by Coach Jason and his true heart (no pun intended, as he is currently recovering from open heart emergency surgery) and I feel he loves our little guy as much as we do, and that is so rare to find in this world! As a mether who continually worries whether I am raising my children with strong morals and sense of self, this type of interaction is validation that we might be doing a few things correctly.

This past weekend the team took a trip to Pilot Mountain for Jason Wills' first top rope climbing other than indoor rock walls. I have never seen my son so excited and so proud of himself than when he returned from the trip. The pictures are amazing, but what is more amazing is some of the video captured by Travis - in HD of course! As Jason is climbing, the video camera catches some background conversations of people talking about my little guy and his natural climbing ability. Its so cute, and makes Travis and I very proud!

Yesterday I took my Jason to the gym for some climbing and I witnessed what everyone has been saying first hand. After I forgot how to tie him in and belay him. He scaled up this wall like a spider. Whats more amazing is that immediately prior to that an adult male (who looked pretty strong to me) was STRUGGLING on the exact same route and never made it to the top. I was truly impressed, but more importantly soooooo proud of my little boy!

I cannot believe that in 2 weeks we will be sending him off on his FIRST day of kindergarten. I am sure I will cry, as my little Jason is no longer my little boy.

Here are some pics of my little climber. Now we just have to work on teaching him how NOT to climb other people's property!