Danny's Bear--and Sam's--and Rose's

Can't wait till morning! It was almost midnight when my phone dinged. 

And here is the picture my children texted!

Danny got his bear! Nearly 400 pounds of bear!

Look at that mambo paw!!!

Maybe more pictures later, but that is all I have now! Sam could have had a bear, too, but the one he saw was a mama bear with two cubs behind her. 

And Sam couldn't,

wouldn't,

and didn't get his bear.

And his mama was as proud of him as she was proud of the son that did get a bear. 

    

And Rose could have had a bear, but when Hunter's gun jammed, she let him have her rifle. And he got the bear. But Rose's mama back home was as proud of Rose as if she had gotten the bear herself.

Bear hunting makes a man out of boys.

But letting a mama bear go because it is caring for cubs,

and letting the other person have the opportunity you wanted

are the things that make real men and women out of boys and girls.

Compassion and unselfishness--the world needs more of it. 

And if my children are learning those things while bear hunting,

 as much as how to get a big bear in the woods,

they are learning what has most value--and what makes their mama happiest!