One VERY Proud Daddy

[Orb Farms]

So, after nearly 11 years of marriage, and now nearly 3 years of divorce, I miss waking up my kids for school every morning, but that's life, for all of us with co-parent situations...

Anyway, I was always "lucky" in school, as I have a special gift with never really having to study.....I blew through school, then got a portfolio of Bachelor's and Master's Degrees, etc.... What I lack utterly and entirely in common sense, I make up for it tenfold in "book-smarts".

Yesterday, I received an email from the school of my older son Kian (although my younger 6-year old boy Kolton is very smart too), and it stated that he made the "National Honor Society" level of honor roll at school. He got a 3.90 out of 4.00.....and I just could not be prouder!

For adults to navigate through a divorce is painful, but I would safely assume that for kids to go through a divorce, it is even more confusing and difficult. DESPITE all of this, Kian was a whisker away from a perfect 4.0, and all the while he probably felt the anxiety and stress of our divorce over the last few years......It had to be ESPECIALLY difficult for him, because he had to change schools, AND this was his first year in middle school....where the kids for the first time go from class to class to class, as opposed to staying in one room all day.

.....Orb is SO proud of his Orb Juniors, that as tribute, I changed my avatar (for about a week) to a split-away shot of my two boys, in celebration of making high-end honor roll!

Congrats, Kian! I know we will read this together son, because you LOVE to watch my races.....

Oh, and yes, Dad does not care if your hair is red this weekend, and blue last month, and probably green next weekend! You have to wear it every day son, so do whatever you want with it LOL

-Orb

[Two Diamond Farm]

way to go kian , keep up the good work .

[Donovan Stables]

Congrats Kian . Enjoy these times Orb they grow up so fast. My baby boy will be 26 in March

[Orb Farms]

Thanks guys, he will read these tomorrow.... bad weather this morning

.....it snowed hard this morning in Denver, so Kian and Kolton are not coming over until tomorrow..... I said I would take him to ANY restaurant in the world for lunch because of his report card..... he said "I want to go to Red Robin" and get my favorite burger and unlimited fries....."

....Hmmm, if I EVER had a date in my life, and she replied Red Robin....or anyplace where a Side Salad is not $30, it will be the first time!

Kids are awesome

-Orb

[Chrisman]

Congrats Kian. Great work. And to you Orb, proud dad, as you should be.

[Orb Farms]

Thanks Chris!

Orb

[Orb Farms]

Both of my kids are HUGE Rams Football fans, and I am TRYING to teach them to be even bigger Cardinal baseball fans....They were not born in St. Louis like me, so they do not quite understand that it is both a rite of passage and a REQUIREMENT to be a "Cardinal-Baseball-FIRST" mentality, when you were born in, and/or live in St. Louis!

Kian......when you get here today and read this...... We will be ROOTING for our horse "GREATEST SHOW ON TURF", and yes we will watch videos of Marshall Faulk and Kurt Warner before the race.... It's a shame you cannot stay overnight tonight and watch the game tomorrow...Maybe our horse will get lucky...Gonna be a VERY difficult competition, so don't get upset if we lose son!

[EDIT --> Whew, the race is not until tomorrow, so I do not have to deal with a hissy fit from my little one if we lose! Actually it is my younger son Kolton who gets so upset when we watch and lose, LOL LOL LOL hah ....so true... Kian is mild-tempered]

(Sorry, I have to "prep" my son, prepare for everything.... LOL)

Thanks community for allowing me to make this one single, rare thread dedicated to my son for his hard work in school!

Thanks also to those of you who addressed him directly, it was exactly what I was hoping for!

-Orb

[Winner Circle Ranch]

Congrats Kian, keep up the good work, it will pay off. Congrats to you to Orb.

[And More Racing Stable]

Great accomplishment Kian and every right for you to be a proud Dad Orb!!!
I'm sure both sons will make you very proud plenty more times in the future as well.

[Orb Farms]

Thank you to my dads friends for all of the messages. My dad said he will name the next horse honor roll when he wins again.
Kian Smith

[Two Diamond Farm]

hey kian, did you get your burger & unlimited fries ? Now I can’t get the Red Robin jingle out of my head,lol. RED ROBIN...YUM

[Orb Farms]

The boys left at 6 (15 minutes ago)..... But YES, we had Red Robin...We used the old "Get there EXACTLY when they open" trick, to avoid having a 45 minute wait! Anyways, we all asked for more fries at the end, and then asked for a to-go box.....Of course, as a former Bartender in college & a card-carrying alma mater member of the service industry, I tipped him extraordinarily..... I always tip extra when we "get extra stuff" at the end, at restaurants.... It sort of all comes out in the wash as "even".......but it's fun to go thru the ritual.

Thanks again to everyone - you really made my son's day!

.....And they will watch tomorrow's race on Face Time with me!

Orb

[Orb Farms]

Boys watched the race on Face Time...So funny, my kids knew that my horse being 4 wide the whole race again, they basically knew it was over before it started...

I taught them well, that you know basically in the first 5 or 6 seconds if you are hosed or not..... and it's funny because my smaller one is really smart about saving ground, etc.... [EDIT] Little Kolty does not say "save ground"....he says "Daddy, why didn't you get to the rail?" LOL


Another let-down on the track, as is the case in ALL races at Belmont, PM races, or anything with a decent sized purse, but it was a special weekend with the boys!

Plus, like I said, I am in least in part the proud owner of a Grade III - winning horse! Long story, but it outweighs everything, aside from kids!

Orb