It was a good idea

Two years ago we pitched in with the grandparents to get Ryan a moped for his birthday. We live less than 5 minutes from our church and the schools. Ryan was playing football, going to extra practices, playing in the praise band, staying late on Wednesday nights for that, and generally needing to get back and forth more than a lot on most days of the week. He's a responsible kid. He bought his own helmet. And you don't have to pay for insurance if he drives this size moped.

The rest of the story: This moped has been a source of discouragement for most of the 2 years he has had it. We've replaced 2-3 major things on it...the cost rising and the value lowering with each bill. We are so VERY BLESSED to have several close friends who work on things and have helped us out over the (what seems like long) 2 years.

The moped has been stalled in our garage for the last 3 months. Richard declared that no more money would go into it and Ryan needed to think of alternate transportation (that's me) as his main source.

We have the neatest neighbor who Ryan calls "a genius" after he was willing to give about 3 and a half hours last Saturday working on the moped. He not only fixed some things but took the time to talk to Ryan about how to fix it and what he was fixing. THAT is valuable and Ryan hasn't stopped grinning.

On Monday morning, he was not only up and ready for school, but ready to go on his own to get a parking pass at the High School. (When he said that I almost laughed, but then realized he could do that!) Of course I pulled out the camera to document his transportation freedom dream coming true.

I might as well add that the moped wouldn't idle correctly after he stopped for the picture. And then he got to practice his self-control as he parked it and got in the vehicle with me and his sisters.

We were ALL disappointed for him. After school he played around with it and it worked fine.

AND SO, his dream is true, he gets to and from school on his own and Richard and I haven't had to venture to the field house after practice once this week to pick him up. To bring him something he forgot...yes. To deliver his uniform there after his out of town scrimmage...yes.

It's a blessing we live so close.