My Demands

If you had told me a few years ago, that I would enjoy spending Mother's Day weekend camping, I would've laughed in your face. I usually had the same request each year... "I want the gift of not existing." I would say. Yep. I wanted a day to just do whatever I wanted, with no one needing me, and no one asking me to do anything, wipe anything, make anything, or plan anything. I demanded this each year and was sorely irked if I didn't get it. Not exactly Hallmark type stuff here folks.

                                 

 As the boys grew though, and we began to really explore what raising three little boys is like, I realized, this was not really what I wanted anymore. I get plenty of alone time, and am treated grandly, pretty much every day. Why would I want to disappear from the very people that make me a mom anyway? Why did I need to be snotty and demanding? I have been learning some hard lessons about where my time goes and to whom I am investing it in.

So, this year... we went camping.

On a beautiful lake.

We loved every minute of it, including the sudden downpour while setting up the tent.

We laughed.

We talked.

We fished.

And my personal mantra... we made memories.

                                     

Sunday morning as I sat and watched my three little adventurers wade over to an amazing nearby island to fish and swim, I looked at Micah and said, "Can you believe they are ours?"

And then, knowing I could stay put with my book and coffee,

that I could demand all the alone time I wanted, 

I got up and went.

I went to where they were, and fished with them for a bit.

I watched them, fussed a little at wrong attitudes, and enjoyed being their mom.

I know someday I will have endless quiet hours to read.

I won't have endless beautiful mornings at a lake to fish with three amazing little boys.

They are the wild boys.

My wild boys.

And oh, how I grow to be more and more thankful each day that I get to be their mama.

                                     

                                     

                                   

"Sometimes it ends up different,

And it is better that way."