4th grade History---it's even better the second time around.

I remember giving birth to my middle child.

I remember it distinctly, although I will spare you those details.

However, I DO NOT remember giving him the middle name...."procrastination".

I'm fairly confident that even in my drug induced, labor pained, state of mind, I did not write that in the box on his birth certificate official records.

But, apparently I did.

He has worked this week, most diligently LAST NIGHT on a project for Alabama History. A project that was assigned over a month ago. A project that he busted his tiny hiney to complete. A project that kept him up 2 hours after his scheduled bedtime. A project that only allowed him a supper break. A project that he also did extra credit items for because he left two of his sheets in his desk, at school, unfinished, and he knew those would count against his score. A score that is worth 400 points towards his grade in History.

During the process of helping him gather information for his project and trying to locate a sheet that named all of the 20 requirements, I ventured to his back pack. Knowing he hasn't carried it to school in a while, I thought I'd take a gander in there anyway, in hopes of finding a note. Even a month old note, concerning the project and necessary requirements.

I didn't find a note. I found graded papers from Oct. and Dec. And shoved at the bottom of one zippered pouch, was a nice sealed envelope, from the school counselor, addressed to "the parents of procrastination child". Not really. It had his name, all nice and neat.

Inside was a letter about a program from Duke University. Apparently he scored in the 99th percentile on SAT testing in the area of Math and Science. They (Duke) consider him to have "strong intellectual abilities", and would like to track him over the next couple of years. Offer encouragement to continue challenging himself, special motivation and support.

I call in the father and notify him, and we call in procrastination child to take a short break from the 4th grade history project.

• "When did the counselor send this note home with you?"
• "Um, I'm not sure, I think it was in February."
• "FEBRUARY? This is May. Why didn't you give it to us?"
• "Well, the Counselor said it was something about Duke University, and maybe getting a scholarship sometime. And I don't want to go to Duke."

Well, there you have it. One minute you are working hard to label all the counties on your home state map, write a report about the Creek Indians, color a picture of the state bird......and the next, you are defending your right to ban Duke as a collegiate option.

We'll see. Duke may not want to track him after he fails 4th grade History.