Teenagers

It came true. Maybe not everything; but a lot of it. Many people told me about it. Some were family members and others were friends, colleagues, teachers, and doctors. They warned me about it. They told me about the many things that my kids would do as they turned into teenagers. How they would change. How they would react. How they would some days not seem like my kids. What I could expect. What to watch out for. What to be flexible on. What to do about certain aspects of their behavior during this time. Some told me horror stories. But I didn’t really listen. I thought to myself, ‘no way, not my sweet son who still kisses me on the lips and asks me to hug him every night when he goes to bed. Not my baby girl; all she wants to do is have mommy-daughter time. She loves to cuddle and dress just like me.’ But I was obviously in denial. Both have changed in ways I could never imagine. Both have shown me that I cannot ever be sure of anything. Both have revealed a side of them I never truly knew. I don’t know if it’s temporary, but it’s certainly here now. And both have brought tears to my eyes – and no, not happy tears. Although I’m sure I can’t compete with others I’ve heard, I already have some horror stories of my own. 

This weekend was a tiring bit of heaven. Tiring because when a single mom has 7 kids to entertain, feed, talk with, direct, and most of all, send to bed over and over, it is exhausting. By the time I ‘made’ them go to sleep, it was time for me to get up. I had a splitting headache and I felt nauseous. I couldn’t fall back asleep, so I laid in bed staring at the ceiling for a while. Then I got up and started to plan breakfast and lunch while they slept. But I couldn’t be upset. As tired as I was, I was also thankful. Both my kids were with me and they were safe. They could’ve been out doing all kinds of crazy things, but instead they played basketball, volleyball and an hours-long game of monopoly. Who could ask for anything more? Not me. Just thankful for my teenagers.