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Nate Steps Up!!!

February 22, 2009 by Steve Elledge 

Well it happens to all of us —- we get older. Things change – life takes unexpected turns – basically we grow up. It happened to The Mom and I (some would argue if I ever really have grown up mentally), it happened to our children, and now our grandkids are finding they have to step up. The Big B is in the process (doesn’t happen overnight) – and now Nate is starting the journey.
Nate has worked his proverbial backside off developing his wrestling skills. He has sacrificed, he has stumbled, but Nate has never been counted out. He has always come back. Some people have it handed to them, some people earn it, and some people never get it. Nate is one of the “earners”. He works hard, keeps his eye on the brass ring, accepts setbacks, and keeps on going after it. And Nate will get it. I have absolutely no doubt.
Nate really “stepped up” this weekend. He finished out his High School wrestling career with alot of “firsts” – put his name where it can never be erased in the history of FossilRidge HighSchool. BUT – he fell a little short of the State title and had to accept that after all of his hard work. And he will. Nate stepped up —— he matured alot more in the past couple of weeks than he can possibly realize today. He learned some valuable (though not necessarily “feel good”) lessons about life and he learned them like a man. You take what God wants you to get and you deal with it —– asking why is useless because God’s plans are not easily interpreted. But you are bigger, you are wiser, and you mature with those lessons.
I was laying awake feeling for Nate the other night. Next morning I sent him a text relaying my pride in him. What I got back I will never forget – cause Nate “stepped up”. Here are some words from the text reply I received from Nate that brought big tears of pride to my eyes: ” yeah, I’m okay. It just wasn’t God’s plan for me.” He then just relayed his hope that there were good things in his future. What a man Nate is. Took the results and is ready to move forward. Nate stepped up! Oh …. and lest there be any doubt in anyone’s mind – I am totally confident there are much bigger and better things to come in Nates future.
Wendy & Tony – you have done a masterful job with numbers 1 and 2, and 3 & 4 look just as promising. God Bless you and thank you for your strong, tight-knit family and the ethic you have instilled in your children. Fruit doesn’t fall too far from the tree.
Just had a text from Wendy. Keegan is 1 – 0 in his matches today. And Courtney has softball practice today. They just don’t slow down in Colorado folks!