all about... TRAVIS

Let me tell you a little more about my sweet, lovable son Travis.

First, he obviously HATES to have his picture taken! Travis lives in the world of possibilities. He constantly talks about things he wants to experience one day. These possibilities can range from becoming mayor of a small town to hitchhiking to Alaska. I once found a sheet of notebook paper in Travis' room which listed all the careers he wanted to have during his life. An ENTIRE PAGE of things like professional bowler, hobo, and football coach.

I have to remember Travis is a "blurter" (my word for people who just blurt out whatever comes into their mind) and that he probably will lose interest in or even forget about his possibilities right after they pop into his head. Recently, when he and I were on a walk he blurted that we needed to walk for an entire day... a whole 8 hours. He convinced me he was serious because he was so excited about the possibility. So the next day I approached Travis with a training schedule, only to find out he had forgotten about that goal and moved on to something else.

Although Travis is very future-oriented and focused on things he wants to accomplish or do he also relates these ideas back to the past. At least once a week Travis will refer to something we did years ago. For example, "Mom, do you remember that summer we walked everyday to Blockbuster and rented a new movie? We need to do that again. Let's do that everyday this summer!" He also relates current situations to past events, comparing something I say to something I said years ago. He will find similiarity in statements and ideas where I would never have made such connections. His ability to place things in context is a true strength and I believe explains his love for history.

Travis can become very passionate and excited about things. If you don't believe me, just ask him about sports. When Travis adopts a learning project he is interested in, it usually becomes a "cause" for him. For example, as I am writing this at 7:00 am one Thursday morning, Travis is just now getting to bed after staying up all night to watch the British open so he could catch the action live!!! Although he is not otherwise detail-oriented, Travis will cover every possible minutae with determination and vigor when working for his "cause or learning porject. Travis has an incredible appreciation for excellence in all things. That coupled with his focus on relationships and people means most of his learning projects are about those people who have established greatness in their profession. And his great mind can absorb a TON of information!Some of the learning projects he has adopted include The Beatles, Johnny Cash, U.S. Presidents, and sports trivia.

Travis has a strong sense of values. He sees meaning in everything and has trouble when he or someone he loves is not walking in step with something he believes is right. Travis is so quick to see the good in others it really seems to hurt him when someone he respects does something Travis sees as wrong. But the amazing thing about Travis is he can work that out in his mind, have empathy for the person and continue to see the good in them. One of Travis' most prominent value is his need to value and include others. He can't stand for someone to be left out or spoken poorly of. After meeting someone Travis will sum them up very quickly and pretty accurately. It is always interesting to hear Travis' appraisal of someone he just met.... he always sees the good in that person and feels uncomfortable if anyone is critical of the person.If we plan an outing (going to the lake or a baseball game) he always asks if we can take someone or invite someone. He stands up for others if he thinks they are being unfairly criticized. (Which if they are being criticized at all Travis will see it as unfair.)He has an exceptional ability to intuitively understand the best about a person after a very short period of time.

Travis is thoughtful and considerate and a good listener. Although he is reserved in expressing emotion, he has a very deep well of caring and is genuinely interested in understanding people. Just ask his grandparents! When most teenagers shy away from elders, Travis loves to spend time with his grandparents. And he is truly interested in all they have to say and can teach him. I have often heard Travis say, "Daddy Ben (Travis' maternal grandfather) is the most amazing man who ever lived."

But all is not roses... Follow through can be a problem with Travis. He has to watch himself to not fall into the habit of dropping a project when he becomes excited about a new possibility, and thus never achieve the great accomplishments which he is capable of achieving.

Because Travis lives in the world of exciting possibilities, the details of everyday life are often seen as trivial drudgery. He places little importance on detailed, maintenance-type tasks, and frequently remains oblivous to these types of concerns. I have to remind Travis to take showers, put on deodrant, etc. I was in his bathroom not long ago and noticed he was out of toothpaste and soap. I asked him how long that had been the case and why he didn't ask me for more. He said he had just been running water over his body to get clean and eating mints for his breath. It never dawned on him to ask me for soap and toothpaste because he thought the other method was good enough.

Travis does not like conflict, and will go to great lengths to avoid it. In conflict situations, he will place little importance on who is right and who is wrong. For example, Travis loves intellectual discussion. He is an abstract thinker and so he enjoys debate about issues such as politics and theology. But just when the debate gets tense (what I would consider the debate getting fun), Travis will back off. His need for harmony seems to be more important than his need to share his opinions. However, I have seen Travis stand up in the face of conflict when one of his values is threatened. For example, Travis really values inclusion of others and hates anyone to speak negatively of others. Travis has stood up to me on numerous occassions when he felt I was not being fair in my opinion of someone.

So, that's my boy... intelligent, full of possibilities, and truly interested in and respectful of others. I love you man!!! You are such a GREAT KID!!!