my 2 sons

Step out of your comfort zone for one whole week. 

 That was the assignment. 

  One kid decided to dress like a Goth.  One girl didn't do her hair for one week. One boy put on a big ole magnetic diamond earing and wore it around for 7 days. One boy dyed his hair red.  Most kids took the easy road and just talked to a member of the opposite sex that they didn't know each day. 

But not Tyler. 

And not his friend Ben.

 They took the assignment seriously.  They decided to switch houses, live in each others bedrooms, do each other's chores, ask each other's moms for rides and meals.
They decided to be uncomfortable.

 And so, one Sunday night right before Valentine's Day, Tyler packed up his belongings, hugged us all goodbye, and stepped right out of his comfort zone, right out of his safe place. He stepped into a life with 5 sisters, no brothers, a dad who is running for governor, and a dog.
A dog who slept on his bed each night.

      

And Ben stepped into our home and our lives. 

He slept in Tyler's bed.  Showered in Tyler's shower (which was a little tricky with Kara trying to get ready in the same bathroom each morning)

.

Ben joined us for our traditional Saturday morning pancakes and eggs. 

 He did chores and he didn't even complain.

He read scriptures and had family prayer with us each morning and night.

Ben embraced his new siblings, giving them piggyback rides, playing football with them, jumping with them on the tramp.  He taught them card games and tricks. 
They didn't want him to leave.

Ben ate dinners with us and celebrated Valentine's Day in our home.  He attended our weekly mutual night and our ward on Sunday.  He even participated in a mean Book of Mormon BattlesTournament with the boys. 

 He fit right in.

Ben was a good son and the week was really anything but uncomfortable. 

The next Sunday, exactly one week later, Ben packed up his belongings, hugged us all goodbye and headed back to his house, his comfort zone. 

We told him he was welcome back anytime.

And we welcomed our real son back.

 Tyler had missed us.  He had missed his bed.  He had missed his bathroom.  I think he even missed his siblings.  He had definitely been out of his comfort zone at times.  He fed the dog, the dog he was totally allergic to.  He rode the bus.  He did chores in an unfamiliar kitchen and bathroom.  He talked (or tried to) a lot with Ben's mom.  He watched a lot of TV.  He learned to love raw oatmeal and grape nuts with lots and lots of sugar.   

He got a lot of good material for his paper on stepping out of your comfort zone, for he truly did just that.

Hands down, their teacher said, the best project in the class.

And Tyler and Ben, for a week of uncomfortable, they earned themselves some pretty comfortable A's.