Giving Thanks 2010 Revisiting 2009 and Continuing / Thanksgiving

My Thanksgiving list continues.  A review of my 2009 Blog post.

3. I am thankful for the gift of my two children, sons now aged 21 and 16, and that I have lived long enough to see them walking with the Lord.

Two sons...what a delight.  Like most women I expected to have a daughter in the family but how like God to bless me with two sons and prepare me for them ahead of time.  I played a lot of intramural sports in college via my sorority--flag football, basketball, softball.  This was great prep for having boys who love to be outside and play, throw the ball, climb monkey bars, play sports, etc.  (especially when younger). When my older son played Varsity basketball for high school I already knew all the rules and although I don't particularly enjoy watching football on TV, I know many of the rules for that sport as well.  :)  

My brother and I have been close all our lives.  Growing up, just being around him and his friends regularly always made me very comfortable talking with boys and men and just being myself.     We  have what I refer to as an "ongoing conversation".  When we're together we can talk about anything. Sometimes it's for a few minutes, sometimes for an hour. My husband is an only child and experienced a great deal of loneliness when he has growing up, so I am thankful my children have had each other.

I homeschooled my older son from grade 5 and my younger one from preschool to now (11th grade).  Looking back I am so glad that I did because with a 5-year age difference between them, in a public or private school setting, they would never have known each other.  For the most part they would have even been in different schools.  My older son lives in our city but away from home during the school year but how delighted I am when he makes an effort to spend time with his younger brother.  I am smiling now just thinking about that.  :)  He is even teaching Graphic Arts to his younger brother for one of his high school classes.  I pray with all my heart that they will stay close and be each other's best friends as they grow older and we are no longer here for them.

A few years ago I read two excellent books:  Wild at Heart and The Way of the Wild Heart both by John Eldredge (the latter being even better than the former).  I so wish I had read it when they were younger.  I was a changed mom after reading them and now really understand the "adventure" side of both them and my husband as well.    I have to remember that they are not little boys anymore and treat them with more respect as young men.    For you younger moms, to my surprise, that begins around age 12.

Although I'm still pretty safety conscious--always wear your seatbelt, don't drive too fast, don't talk on your phone while driving, be careful with sharp objects--I now generally just say (when I hear of plans for something kind of exciting and a bit risky, even like going up on our roof below) Oh, you're just being Wild at Heart.  They smile and know I understand their need for adventure.  I also smile back and then pray.  :)

Proverbs 23:25 

Let your father and your mother be glad, 

And let her rejoice who gave birth to you.