Everybody thinks their kid is the best. If they have several, then their several are the best. At whatever. The smartest, best-looking, best-behaved, whatever. The best. That seems only fair since we have to raise them.

Don and I are generally the quiet type when it comes to being cheerleaders for our kids. We've spent time in the stands and never raised our voice. Never stayed after to get after a referee. Didn't put notices in the newspaper everytime someone made honor roll or actually graduated. That was what was expected of them. They knew it. They all say "maam and sir." (It just sounds nice, don't you think?)

We've tried to tell our kids - "do your best, your best is always good enough." Some things have come easier to one than to another. Sarah and Leslie were born with a book in their hands, or just about. Dan - a basketball. Or football. Not a book. You don't want to see our girls attempt sports. You don't want to see Dan's grade in foreign languages. We tried to encourage them to set goals in some area, to be growing, improving. We made them go to church, during those times they preferred to stay in bed. Those were fun mornings at our house!

The only member of my family - my parents and my siblings that is, who graduated from college was my mother. Amazing since she got married right after 8th grade. My sister Barb, and I, have done the Rosie O'Donnell thing - "the cycle stops here." Our kids went to college. It was expected of them. Required of them. No discussion.

We're proud of all of them - heck, they're our kids. We think they're the best, because they're ours. We're not more proud of one than the other; we don't have favorites, in spite of the family arguement that ensues about that very fact every time we all get together. (For the record, all three of our kids have a t-shirt like this one. Dan just believes it a little more.)

Just for today, though, we want to brag a little. Yell from the stands. Show a little favoritism. Yesterday our son, Dan, got accepted into grad school. He'll be studying for an MBA starting this fall. We have no idea what grades he'll get. That doesn't really matter. Some of the courses sound darned scary to me. For right now, just this minute - we're bustin' our buttons at him for taking the step, for setting the goal. We're also thankful sweet Janae will be the one living with him through the process. Way to go, Dan!