The Things No one Told Me: Take Three

The third child has entered his Senior year of high school....

The last of our kids is finishing up drivers ed and is officially a Junior in high school.

Oy.

How did this happen, and where was I?

When the third child- (who shall not be mentioned by name lest I get the silent treatment for a week) was always a little ornery. He has a beautiful smile, blue eyes and enough hair to make a nice shag rug for my bathroom, if I were into that sort of thing. 

He loves cars and movies. He plays more xbox than I care to admit, and has a very small close circle of friends. 

Did I mention he is a man size child now? Man size. My little blonde haired boy is man sized.  He works very hard, spends his money on guy stuff and likes to eat as much junk as he can. 

When he was little, he was such a comic- always making us laugh, always being the clown. His blonde curls bouncing everywhere as he climbed trees and collected sticks. He spent a lot of time ourdoors, and a lot of it was with his siblings. He has grown into a very opinionated, confident , independent young man. He loves fiercely, and is never afraid to tell the truth. Even if it hurts. And sometimes it does, believe me.

He is smart, mechanically & technically very blessed with the ability to troubleshoot about anything. He is a rock when I need him to be, and a kid when I don't. He grumbles a bit, but he has a heart of gold. And I am super proud to be his momma. (Plus I think he has the best man cave ever)

 I was never prepared for his brutal honesty or his heartbreaking emotions. He isn't like anyone else I know- just a genuine, new creation.

I remember when the fourth child was little, riding his three wheeled bike until the wheels fell off. More recently he has been building his own bikes out of parts of various rides that we purchase at auctions. Some of them have turned out pretty cool. Some, not rideable. He is the one with the most broken bones, the most emergency room visits, the most bandaid use. He is the one with the benefit of 3 siblings before him. He knows how to cut to the chase and just ask for what he wants. He knows how to be obedient, and he knows exactly how to push my buttons. 

He has had the longest hobby/interest...music. He plays the sousaphone in marching band and quickly became a leader in that arena, unbeknownst to his parents. He sings in show choir with ease. He has an easy going personality and is very compassionate with all living things, people, animals, plants.  

This one is going to be the death of me, I am sure. He was an unexpected blessing, when 3 kids were so overwhelming I thought I might die. He ended up being fearless of most things. He is willing to try almost anything. And he has a great smile. The thing no one ever told me?  The one thing I am so taken by surprise with? He is just like his father. I see it in him everyday. 

He looks so much like him it is incredible. When he is performing with choir, he has a striking resemblance. When he is spending time with the little kids, he is on their level, just like hubs was when our kids were little. He is compassionate like his father. He is funny like his father, and he is serious just like his father.  He is also very in tune with- his mother. He can tell when something is wrong with me without even asking. He can see when I am about to cry, he can see when I am ready to bust out laughing. Very very intuiative when it comes to his momma.  

 These boys have turned my house into a testosterone filled space- I am the only girl, having to hold my own. It has been quite an adjustment, but I wouldn't trade it for the world.  No one ever told me how much my heart could break and be so full all at once. No one ever said "yeah, being a parent sucks sometimes", I could have used that warning a bit.  There was never a guide to tell me that one day we would be here, with less discipline and more friendship, less asking me everything and more them having to make responsible decisions. 

I sit and wait to hear about their day, the good and the bad. I wait to see what tomorrow brings. And I am wondering what else I haven't been prepared for. Because it is my realization that a mommas heart is never prepared, not really.