Life With Boys

Life with boys … I should be sleeping … I know I should be sleeping … but instead I sit here in the dark … watching the fan shadows dance across the ceiling … in a few hours the boy will compete in his last track meet … and all I want for him is joy as he flies through the air (and I must also admit I want him to land on the mat on the other side) …

This time of year is hard for many … as we witness the celebrations, the accolades and the accomplishments of so many around us … it so hard not to compare and belittle how far we have come, even if it is only two steps ahead … I know how hard those two steps can be …

All of these lasts have been so bittersweet … but I know we have to have the lasts so we can have the firsts to come … it is such a strange experience to have a senior this time around (the class of 2020 really did get the short end of the stick) … I strive to keep things even-ish, but I can’t …

I must also remember I have two (three – Matt will always be one of the boys) very different boys … and each will want to mark occasions in their own way … all of my boys have shown me how to conquer the world with their own unique approach … sometimes it is with determination, or laughter, or with never ending exasperation (with me of course), or with duct tape and a tarp …

So today I thank all of the people who have been instrumental in their lives … the teachers, coaches, leaders, teammates, family and friends who show up no matter what … you have taught the boys math with letters that I will never understand, the importance of checking for ticks and how to triumph over adversity … you have fostered their creativity, curiosity, and challenged them to be and do better … and for that I thank you …

This summer will be another of transition … as we all learn again how to live with one another … while our calendar will soon be less child-centered … we are not going anywhere … this life with boys is no where close to being finished … I may find fewer rocks, legos and worms in my washer (yes, worms) … but who knows what will be next … I do not know what this “nest” will look like in the fall … but I can guarantee that it will still be a bit of a mess … with projects in progress and homework to be done, cat hair seemingly everywhere and piles on the counter … but I hope each of you knows our door is still open … help us as we remember what being adult-ish can look like … and maybe save me from the tap-dance lessons that have been suggested