What's that look? It's pride!

When I was in the 3rd grade I did one of those drill team camps that the high school drill team puts on to raise money. They invite elementary aged kids to come on a Saturday and learn a dance that they will perform at half time of an upcoming game. Your parents pay a crazy amount of money and you get a T-shirt and the chance to feel VERY cool and grown up. I will never forget that Saturday, the dance or the performance. We danced to Grease Lightening and I'm certain it was wonderful. As I ran up the bleachers to greet my parents my mother had these tears rolling down her face. Was it that bad??? As I mommy myself I now know - nope! It was that good! That look on her face, those tears....it was a little emotion called "pride". It's one thing to have pride in yourself. That's all too important to be proud of what you do and who you are, but it's something totally different to have pride in someone else.
We are in the throws of deer season. Now, I don't really hunt, but I have come to love this time of year because it is so special for my husband (and love is not a strong enough word for what I feel for him). After my father in law passed away in May, my brother in law came back to us. That's a different story for a different day, but I think he got his priorities straight and a few things were put into perspective for him. Wes has not hunted with Aaron or his dad in several years. This year he was back home. This, the first hunting season without their wonderful dad, was bound to be tough. It was a time that was going to take Aaron back many memories and for weeks I have prayed that he would not have to go through it alone. I was so happy when Wes decided he would get up and go with him. Yesterday afternoon Wes killed a deer. I saw the pictures posted on Face book. You almost can't see anything except his teeth he is smiling so big. There were a few pics taken and then I saw the picture of Aaron next to his brother, his arm around him as Wes leaned in close to his kill - I saw so many things in that picture. I saw the same look on Aaron's face that I know his dad must have had when Aaron got his first kill. I saw the look that I am bound to see again one of these days when Remington gets his first kill. I saw the same look that I saw on my mom's face 20+ years ago as I ran off the basketball court... Pride. My eyes welled up with tears as I studied that picture and my husband's face. Maybe I can chalk it up to hormones or just that I cry easily, but I think I felt a little pride too. I'm proud of Wes. I'm proud of my husband. And you know what? My father in law is totally busting with pride as he looks down at these men his sons have become.
We miss you so much P-paw!