It's A Boy's Life

I love our life with three boys.  While they are a loud, rowdy, and a somewhat stinky bunch, I'm glad I have them.  God gave me these dudes and my life sure has grown with these guys in it.  Psalm 127:3-5 says, "Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him.  Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth.  Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.  They will not be put to shame when they contend with their opponents in court."

Boys have so many sides to them.  The tough, rough, and tumbly side.  And the caring, sweet, and I'll-pick-my-mom-flowers-every-time-I-take-the-dogs-for-a-walk side.

I'll take it.

Just two nights ago, they had a wrestling match with their dad on the living room floor.  It was brutal in my eyes.  I've learned over the years that not only do they LIKE this, they ASK for it and even bond over it.  They know to leave Mom out of it.  I usually sit and watch them with a why-is-this-fun-to-you expression frozen on my face.  To me, it hurts.  It's pain and suffering, and not an ounce of fun.  But I'm not a boy, and sometimes you just gotta let the boys do their boy things.

Body noises come with the territory.  It's funny.  Every time.  To them.  While I have to reel them back in from time to time when it gets way too out of hand, they could laugh about this all day long.  They get in trouble when they try something at the table, or in public, but at home, they can be themselves within reason....and I guess these noises, and consequently smells, just come with the territory.

Dirt and stink are just part of it all.  How many times have we been ready to leave and I look outside at the three of them, shirtless, jumping on the trampoline with the sprinkler underneath?  Wet, dirty from the dust, and far from ready to walk out the door.  At least there was water.  Perhaps that could count as their shower for the day?  And stink.  Stinky feet, stinky sports gear, stinky bodily functions, stinky everything. 

I have to remind them to shower, use soap, flush (!), clean their rooms, wear deodorant, and even brush their teeth.  Even at their current teen and pre-teen ages, brushing their teeth seems to be an optional thing.  Like choosing to nap, or take a walk, or visit a friend, or fix a broken toy.  They don't seem to deem it necessary to accomplish daily, so they don't do it.  It's up to Mom to remind them, apparently.  They would have done well as cave-men.

Each of the boys get to go on a date with their mom around once a month or so.  They have learned from their Dad how to treat a lady, and they take it seriously.  They open my doors, offer to pay for our treat, pick me flowers, watch out for me.  They treat me special, like a lady.  As a mom of boys, I really am treated like a princess in my own home.

Manners and organization?  Oh dear, sweet, future daughter-in-laws.  I try.  I really try.

We teach the boys to put on the Armor of God so they can be warriors in this world, we've learned about the Code of Chivalry last year in school, their Dad leads by example, and we teach scripture to them so they know how to behave in light of God's Word.  3 John 1:4 says, "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth."

While I have so much to learn about the boy world, I have learned so much already.  I'm not perfect, and I'm sure I'll look back at the mistakes I made in raising them.  But I do try hard and with God's help.

I love my three sons.