Beautiful Monsters...

My beautiful monsters are my three boys. Yep, three. I wanted ten. God knew better. The bulk of their childhoods are behind us, and we are on the downward slide toward adulthood, if not maturity! I like to tell them that I am almost to the stage where I can expect dividends on my investment. They roll their eyes. They have no idea what I have planned for when they are working and it is my 20ish year turn to live off of them.

Seriously, I like to say that my boys are my Sun, my Moon and Stars …. my Strength, my Soul and my Song.

My oldest is my Sun, my Strength. He burns, he shines. Ever since he was a toddler people are attracted to him, and tend to do what he says. He is all fire and heat, energy and intensity, strength and drive. He is a natural leader, an athlete and terribly responsible. He has a great tactical mind, is extremely loyal, knows how to make the best of a bad situation, is smart smart smart and has a wickedly sly sense of humor. I have no doubt that he could rule the world one day … like the Elvish queen in LOTR, all would love him and live in terror of him. He isn’t mean, just very black and white. And blunt. You always know exactly where you stand with him. With my Strength, you make the cut, or you don’t.

My middlest is my Moon, my Soul. He shines, but with a quiet, steady glow. When I am sad, and not saying anything, he is the one who knows instinctively – he has amazing intuition and compassion for people. He also feels things intensely, and internalizes much of what goes on around him. He is one of the most thoughtful people I have ever met. Not to confuse thoughtful with always kind or caring – this is a 13 year old boy. But he THINKS, intensely, deeply, exhaustively about EVERYTHING. Everything from how many more chickens would be in the world if we weren’t always eating the eggs for breakfast to what he was wondering about particle physics blah-blah-stuff I don’t understand-blah. This one, this one, will either save the world or destroy it (probably via implosion, which he is fascinated with).

My youngest is my Stars, my Song. He sparkles, he enchants you, and he n.e.v.e.r. s.i.t.s. s.t.i.l.l. He is constant motion, even bouncing on his feet playing video games, and loves to make a joke. He is a people person to the core, he will seek out company. He likes to be in charge, but will never force the issue. He sings because he loves to, and will talk to himself if he can’t find anyone else to talk to. He is game for almost anything, and absolutely will find a way to enjoy the situation once he’s in it. He is also still a suck up, very much my baby, which comes in handy sometimes! Out of the three kids (all my kids sounds like a have a zoofull – no matter how much it feels like it, there are just the three) he is the one who shares my love of books, of story or losing yourself in another world. And if for no other reason, I would love him for that.

I also collect assorted monsters, kids around the community that know they are always welcome at my house, about what time dinner is served, that if it is in the produce basket on the table it is free game and where I hide the “good” snacks. I have been known to get a phone call for lunch, or a jacket, or a ride from one of my “extra kids”. I have also been known to chew them out, pep talk them up, and ground them for the weekend (followed by a call to mom to make sure she knows I grounded her kid. I love small towns!).  I love them like I love my own, and make no mistake about that.

Some day, I hope to be able to adopt young teens or pre-teens. I have such a heart for kids that are going to graduate the foster care system with no family, no holiday home, no one to come pick them up when the car breaks down or their heart is broken or they just need to do laundry. Boys make sense since I already have been practicing with my three. This is a door I hope God opens someday.

So, my monsters keep me hopping. From sport to sport, school to events and activities, and the never ending round of cooking, dishes, put away, cooking…. I wouldn’t trade them for the world. What would the world be like with no Sun, Moon, or Stars? No Strength,Soul or Song… I wouldn’t even want to contemplate it.