The first time I met these boys, it was in 2010 and they were 5 years old. Jasper introduced himself and his brother Jayden the first time with, "Hi, I'm Jasper, and this is my brother Petunia." This should give you an idea of the kind of humor these two hooligans contain. Jasper and Jayden are my boss' kids and the most polite, well-mannered kids you will ever meet. Over the past six years, these two have kept me smiling and have taught me so much. I want to share what I've learned.
The best gifts are the unexpected ones.
The boys love popsicles on a hot day, and who can blame them? Without being told or asked too, they will bring me and my boss and whoever else is around a popsicle. After working all day, receiving an otter pop is the best.
Always respect others.
Every time the boys meet someone new, they introduce themselves by shaking hands, taking off their hats and looking people in the eye. Not only do they impress the people they meet, but they earn their respect back.
Work because you like to, not because you have to.
The boys are up early every morning and meet me outside at 7 a.m. to help with chores. This entails feeding horses, watering horses and mucking stalls. They aren't told to do it, but they do it anyway to help out. I never hear them complain and if anything, they do it with a smile on their face. Mucking stalls is not the greatest job in the world, but they make it fun.
Be open to learning new things.
The boys are always showing me some new craft that they made, or skill that they've learned. They're creative and they don't need electronic devices to keep themselves occupied. They listen to conversations and ask questions to learn more about a topic.
Enjoy the outdoors more.
These boys play and work outside all day. It may be catching frogs in the irrigation ditches, target practice, mowing the lawn, riding their horses or building forts. They always enjoy being out and about.
Don't be a sore loser.
Don't get me wrong, it's fun to win, but you don't win all the time. The boys are a great example of how to act whether you win or lose. They have taught me to make fun of myself for screwing up and laugh about the things I can't control. Most importantly, they remind me what humility looks like.
So here's a thank you to Jason and Brandy for bringing in such wonderful boys. I don't know how you did it, but I'd like to send my future kids to you and I don't want them back until they're 11.
