Teenage Boys are Strange Creatures

Just when I think I have my teenage boys pegged for life… they turn over a new and refreshing leaf that does this mama’s heart good.  It’s happening in repeating stages right now.  I’m not sure why, but I’m not voicing any of these questions aloud, so as not to disturb the force.

It all started about a month ago.  Holding my coupon envelope while pushing my grocery cart through Safeway, my cell phone rang. It was my 15-year-old son.  He was calling to inquire about the correct procedure for washing his comforter.  Glory be!  I explained that it is exactly like a load of clothes.  BAM!  I could hardly breathe for the clean-laundry-loving juice pumping through my veins.

I arrived home that day to find three large garbage bags stuffed full of clothing in the loft.  Inquiring minds want to know, so I asked a few children if they knew what the bags were for.  Seems it was my same comforter-washing son.  He had gone through his closet AND dresser and removed all the clothing that was too small, stained, holey and nerdy.  Never in his 15 years has he performed this action.

Then I glanced in his room.  Miracle of miracles.  I could see the carpet under his bed!  It is usually hidden by piles of smelly shoes, biking gear, magazines, dirty and/or clean clothing.  It was spotless.  I was speechless! Unbelievable.  I thought it would take a college roommate or his wife to convince him of his slobbish ways.  I’m not sure what happened to bring about this change, and I’m not disturbing the force and asking any time soon.  The amazing thing is that it is still that clean… a month later.  It was like BAM! he grew up.

I was basking in the realization that 50% of my sons were now considered not slobs.  Wow!  I realize 50% is not a passing grade, but I was at 0% just a month ago.

THEN it happened.  I was in Walmart picking out avocados that were ripe to perfection when my cell phone rang.  It was my 13-year-old son inquiring how to launder his comforter.  I about dropped to the tile floor in Wally World in shock and disbelief.  I explained that it is exactly like a load of clothes.  BAM! I could hardly breathe for the clean-laundry-loving juice pumping through my veins.

But, unfortunately, that is as far as son #2 got in the goal of living a tidy, laundered, clean lifestyle.  But he’s two years ahead of his brother in the comforter category. Yet, I have hope.

 

Brag Book Time

My 15 year old daughter painted this watercolor a few weeks back.  I thought she did a great job, but I’m the mom, of course I do.  She admired this photo and explained that “she” was stepping up to kiss him.  I suggested that the pink shoes were holding the black shoes in place so she could push him down.  :o)  Not overprotective at all!  (We have given her a stack of her father’s business cards to hand to boys if they want to talk to her…. “Just call this number and ask my dad.” ….. hey, it’s an easy out for her, if need be!)

I’ve heard people say that the teenage years are a nightmare and parents need to “just get through” them.  We haven’t believed that for one moment.  These are the exciting years when we can actually have in-depth conversations and our kids are actually bringing up topics that cause us to search the Word for truth.  They can effectively run our entire household and still have time to jam on the electric guitar, paint watercolor pictures and play the Wii.

Teens are so capable at this age of accomplishing so much beyond what is expected of them.  Our daughter is working on a “secret” project at the moment.  She has been for more than two years.  It is truly remarkable, but I don’t have permission to blab the news yet.  Don’t worry, you’ll be the first to hear when I get the green light!  It makes my buttons burst to see my children striving for excellence without parental coercion.  The fact that she is thinking beyond herself and reaching out to others is honestly a grand blessing in our lives.  We are so thankful.  Thankful to the point of tears.

I’m also extremely thankful that my children love each other.  Maybe all those times I made them sit on the couch and hug and kiss each other after arguing actually paid off.  You can’t hug your sibling long without giggling. 

For my kids, I’m THANKFUL!

Hotel Amenities

Yes, we are in Anaheim, my two girlfriends and our three teenage daughters.  The girls are attending the Revolve Tour and got to meet Hawk Nelson last night (a Christian rock band from Canada).  They were thrilled.  Forty-five minutes of their five hours in California Adventures yesterday was spent helping three-year-old Mason find his mom and dad.  Talk about horror at Disney for that poor family.  The girls said the mom was hysterically crying…. as expected.  Anyway, it all turned out, fortunately.  Our girls found security and reported the kid’s name…. that was thankfully sewn on the back of his Mickey Mouse ears.

On to hotel amenities….  one of the choice amenities this establishment has to offer, as is expected these days, is HIGH speed Internet.  Well, this is a farce.  There ain’t nothin’ highspeedy about this connection.  I’ve typed this blog up until now and my email page still hasn’t loaded…. good grief.  And there should be an international thickness regulator for oatmeal.  Good grief, again.  This stuff was like weak soup with the occasional oat flake.  Being that I’m with two of the pickiest eaters on God’s green earth, the management was notified of the oversight on the breaky buffet, but alas, this morning there was not much of an improvement. We can’t complain, though.  The room is decent…. minus the few bugs that we’ve located and killed.  The location is KEY, which is why we picked this place. 

And a special bonus for us… there is a “Gamers” convention going on across the street.  So, needless to say, if you’re not wearing black, you’re so not cool.  We’re not cool.  We keep wondering what in the world they do at a gamers convention?  Play games?  Watch video clips of how to beat the latest games???  Meet people dressed up like the mythical characters in the make-believe video games???  They’re here.  We’ve seen them.  Makes me wonder.

OH!  Yesterday Jill dragged us through Mexico City, right here in Anaheim.  It is the oldest indoor swap meet in the world, or so they say.  We did purchase some unique items for those we love, as well as taking cell phone pictures of lizards on skulls, wacky sunglasses and the general folklore that surrounds Mexico… right here in the good ol’ USA.

We dropped the girls off this morning and we’re off to the beach.  Wooo HOooo.  This is just like Thelma and Louise on their vacation: carefree,  wonderful, and the beach.  Oh to feel the sand between my freezing toes. 

BAGS end tonight!  www.bagsforzaza.blogspot.com