YOU WANT TO BE A WHAT?????

We Mormons have a thing called Family Home Evening or FHE. This is where the family gets together on Monday evenings and read scriptures and learn of our Lord Jesus Christ. Normally it would start after dinner, and who ever was assigned the lesson would tell us what we were to do. This one particular FHE stuck in my mind ever since it happened in 1991. We had a spiritual lesson given by Kathi and when it was over, it was time for dessert. The kids always loved dessert time.

After dessert, I started asking my children what they wanted to be when they grew up? I told them that they could be whatever they wanted, if they put their mind to it, and studied hard. I started with the oldest. Tom was 11, and thought for a moment and said "I would like to be a doctor!" I asked why, and he said he wanted to help people in the world that were sick. I was proud of my son for his compassion for other people.

Next I asked Missy. She was 9 and thought about it for a minute or two and said "I would like to be a singer or actress on T.V." I ask her why? she said she wanted to make people happy with her songs and movies that she was in. I was proud of her for her compassion for her fellow man.

Next was Greg. He was 6 and a very rambuctious little boy. When I finally got him settled down enough. I asked the question. He thought hard about it and replied, "I want to be a fireman or a policeman" I asked him why? He said he wanted to protect and save people from fires and bad people. I thought this was very noble of him and was very proud of him.

Last was Tim. He was 4 and sat very quietly in the corner of the room and I assumed he was contemplating the question in his mind. I asked him, "Timmy, what do you want to be when you grow up? Without hesitation he replied, "I WANT TO BE A DUCK!" I instantly saw the future for my son of 25 years standing in front of a Granny Goose store selling potato chips dressed as a duck. I said, "You can't be a duck" He immediately bagan to cry and said "YOU SAID I COULD BE WHATEVER I WANTED TO BE" and I said "YES! but not a duck!" He couldn't understand why he couldn't be a duck when we adopted him from an ape family. I said "Who told you that!" and his reply was, "THEY DID!" pointing to his brothers and sister. I looked at the three of them and they began pointing at one another. Tom did it! nut ha it was Greg. No it wasn't it was Missy. I think it was Tom to tell the truth but the jury is still out on that one. I held Tim and rocked him to sleep that night and explained to him that he was not adopted from an ape family. Heavenly Father blessed us with his presence and we would take care of him until he could go out on his own. I tucked him in and said "Goodnight" and started to walk out of the room, He said "Daddy! does this mean I can't be a duck?" I said, "You can be whatever you want to be Timmy". He smiled and closed his eyes to sleep.

I'm happy to say that Tim is not a duck, but doing well in college as well as being married to his childhood sweetheart. Sarah and Tim have a son of their own, Levi Hunter was born November 17, 2010 and Mom and Dad and baby are living Happily ever after. Quack! Quack!