The one to smile and run off…

When he was in 9th grade part of his economics curriculum included a project where he projected what he would do after high school and how he would finance his plan. His class (my kids meet once a week with a group of homeschool peers in a classroom setting) worked to determine careers, college, trade schools, living expenses, education expenses…all the things. It turned out to be a pivotal course/project in his education and life.

Using the skills he learned, I watched him spend the next year diving into any book he could find on investments, the stock market, building businesses, leadership, etc. He devoured them and then he put what he learned into action. He has gone on to work hard to earn money and invest almost all of it in smart ways. He has big dreams and goals for his future and he is chasing them. He also has more business ideas than I can keep up with – like his dad.

Corbett stepped away from that 9th grade project with was an understanding that he did not want a career that he spent all his time inside behind a desk. Knowing his uncle is a land relator, I encouraged him to do an internship with Eric last summer. I truly believe internships, mentorships, and job shadowing are so incredibly valuable, pivotal and unfortunately underrated.

Well, one thing led to another. When Corbett turned 16 he began working for Eric. He is learning the ins and outs of land real-estate, marketing, drone photography, sales, and whatever else he can challenge himself to tackle. We began homeschooling when he started third grade. It was going to be for 1 year because I was confident there was no way we could do homeschool in middle school and high school. In 2 years Corbett will graduate far better prepared than I was to enter life post high school. Homeschool was not the plan I had originally and homeschooling in high school was not at all what I expected. It has been SO MUCH better.

Watching him in the yard practicing the drone, on his phone moving his financial investments around, or pulling out the driveway to head to a random piece of land for sale somewhere in Oklahoma – I just feel so grateful to watch it all unfold. When he was a little guy the teenage years seemed so far off and really the only thing I heard about raising teenagers was negative. It can be challenging, but so is a three year old testing boundaries. There is something just so incredibly cool about this season – the end of childhood, the cusp of adulthood – not wondering who he will become, but instead really getting to see it.

Of all my kids he was the only one that ran from me when he was little. We’d go to a park or church or anywhere and the minute I let go of his hand he would look up at me, flash a grin and take off. Basically, toddler Corbett is the same at 16 year old Corbett with a driver’s license. I’m grateful to be here for it.

*Both of these shots are ones he took with a drone. Evidently the way to get a teenage boy to smile for the camera is to put a drone control in his hands.