We have a fun family tradition that we’ve been blessed to take part in every year. The Duggars and Bates clans have their annual homeschool conference in Texas. We have the Mastering Knighthood Summit in Utah in September every year. Thanks to King Richard and Queen Emily and their amazing team, my boys have learned leadership skills by participating in this simulation about knights saving a kingdom. We’ve been doing it for at least 10 years, I think. All four of my older boys have participated in it, either as a knight, a page, a squire, a villain or a Master Knight. Well guess who was finally old enough to participate this year?
My baby! He has been witnessing the event as a spectator since he was a newborn, bundled up in a babywrap like the one on the mom pictured below. I remember taking him when he was just three weeks old in my homemade New Native carrier so I could watch the epic final battle. I don’t have a picture of me wearing him in wrap, so the pic below will have to suffice.
Then he got bigger and started wielding a sword like his brothers. Thankfully, the weapons are all made of non-dangerous materials. The one he’s holding below is made of the stuff used to cover pipes and duct tape.
He has seen his older brothers run, fight, yell, and save the kingdom. He’s a mini-version of his older brother who is in the photo below, getting acknowledged by Queen Emily. That brother is on an LDS mission now so said brother wasn’t able to see his mini-me participate for this first time this year.
Oh how we miss big brother! He wrote home in his last email saying he was so grateful to me for letting him participate in Summit, because it helped him prepare for his mission. Below are pictures from past years of Summit! My hubby and sons are in some of the pictures.
I’m so glad we get to do this every year. It was worth driving 14 hours one way this year and last! Huzzah for the Mastering Knighthood Summit!
Tree of Life Mothering 