Skiing instructor...

Candan's class is skiing today, and I am writing from the lodge here at Mt. Washington. I am not skiing, though, every bone and muscle in my body except for those in my lower back are crying for me to snap on some skis and go fly down a run.

I wanted to come because Candan's never skied before. I was concerned, because ski renting is daunting. Ski boots are difficult. Standing at the top and looking down at all that's below you can be scary.

I was explaining how I really felt I wanted to go up the hill to Candan, saying, because, "if you don't have proper fitting boots that are nice and snug, you'll be miserable and out of control." Brad replied to Candan...."and if you don't let your mom come, she'll be miserable and out of control."

True.

It's just there are so many details and things to learn about skiing. What the tricks to keeping warm are, how to get on a chairlift efficiently, what the proper etiquette on the hill is, and all that. And I have to sit in the lodge and watch my baby go fend for himself. (There are lots of skiing parents out there, and he had a lesson in the morning.)

I just saw Candan for the first time go skiing down the hill, and he's amazing. He's only fallen once in four hours, and he's blazing down the hill with his buddy who is doing a great job too. I am so proud of them. I have a huge lump in my throat thinking about it.

My parents, largely, save for a few lessons, taught me all about skiing. And I used to be a really great skier until my back problems started. But I remember so much of what they taught me, and I wanted so much to pass those same things on down to my kids. It just seems an important thing to do.

It was hard to see him buckle his boots and lock them into his bindings without teaching him every last nugget about the sport of skiing before I launched him off. I knew he was going straight to a lesson, but me teaching him myself would ensure he'd know everything I wanted him to know. I wanted to be sure he's well equipped for any hill he'd face.

And the same goes for beyond the ski hill.

"You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with allyour might. 6 "These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. 7 " You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. 8 "You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead .