i just got off the phone with matt and jax. jax and i conferenced matt in to our call when we had a computer question. another very sweet moment in time for me to savor.
jax just got home from registering for classes at our local community college, and we got to share that with matt, too. matt had just found out what the closing costs on his and mel's new condo were going to be and had written a check for part of the total amount. they close and move next week.
go away now if you can't stand me sharing my pride over my "boys."
i sometimes find myself reading many of your blogs and getting a little misty (nostalgic) over the goings on in some of your little families - the ones with young children. i sometimes do miss those days. well, maybe "miss" is not the right word. i enjoyed them as little boys so, so much. and remember thinking "stop growing up. now." but grow up they did. and i enjoyed watching that. but it is soooo cool seeing them now.
matt married and in grad school. right where he wants to be. graduate teaching assistant. buying his first home. crazy about mel. even when he calls me when he's bone tired from working on a paper for submission for publication and hasn't been home or to sleep for 2 days, he sounds so happy and proud.
jax calling from the college, relating the classes he's chosen, barely controlled excitement in his voice. almost THREE YEARS CLEAN AND SOBER (i still am completely in awe of this)! how the hell did we get here? some of you have been reading all of us for most of that time. TELL ME!
i've always been a forward-looking mom. not REALLY wanting them to stop growing. not REALLY. i was just always aware of how precious those days were. right after matt was born, a friend and i were talking about our newborn boys (4 weeks apart). she asked me, "don't you just HATE thinking about them as all grown up and away from you?" i didn't. i told her that my dreams were more about dancing at their weddings.
now maybe matt understands why i could NOT stop bawling (really making a complete FOOL of myself) at his and mel's wedding during the groom-and-his-mom dance.
i know we're not DONE. we won't be DONE until we're dead. but i know we won't stop loving and trying and ENJOYING.
i love you guys. all of you. bill, matt, jax, mark. you're where i live.
knee update: surgery scheduled for JANUARY 24!
Posted by Stacey at December 15, 2004 03:25 PMStacey, you made me cry again.
When your boys have children of their own, reading these posts of yours will bring a whole new meaning to them. I am sure they already realize what an incredible mama you are, later they will realize the full awesomeness that is Mama Stacey!
Posted by: moonandsun at December 15, 2004 05:00 PMGood thing I had some kleenex nearby when I read this...*sniff*.
It goes by sooo quickly- you bend down to pick up their legos and toy soldiers and when you stand up, you're tripping over their size 15 shoes they left in the middle of the room. You give me hope that eventually they'll move out and have to pick up their own toys and dirty laundry. ;-)
(Actually, I never thought I'd be one of those 'slow down, you're growing up too fast! moms', but more and more I find myself thinking exactly that.)
Posted by: lucy at December 15, 2004 05:07 PMHoping you have a speedy recovery from your surgery in January. Only thing I know about knee pain is from growing pains as a child. My mom would get up in the middle of the night and rub Ben Gay on my knees and add the heating pad.
Children are our reward for growing old.
Posted by: Cowtown Pattie at December 15, 2004 11:02 PMword!! :-)
Posted by: mark at December 15, 2004 11:24 PMYou made me sniffle. Mark made me cry! Having kids grow up and become cool people is the bomb!
Best of luck with the knee surgery, Stace. I'll be thinking about ya. I'm adding the date to my calendar so I can send you good thoughts...
Posted by: Keri at December 16, 2004 10:39 AMThat is so nice, Stacey. Even while I complain, I'm secretly enjoying this time we have (shhhh...don't tell anyone. It would ruin my reputation.). I know they grow up fast, and I think I've enjoyed (almost) every age so far. They constantly amaze me. You've done a good job with your boys, and will continue to enjoy them for years.
Posted by: TW at December 16, 2004 12:14 PMJebus, Stace!!! You even made ME teary-eyed!
You are such a great family - you work so well together. While you envy may envy some of my moments with my small kids, I am hopeful that I can do half the job that you and Billy did with your family.
You are my role models in so many ways! Thank you so much for sharing this post!
Posted by: Kathy Howe at December 16, 2004 03:03 PMStace - you have every right to be proud of your boys as they are a great bunch of guys. I know I would have been proud of them if they had been my boys. (((hugs)))
Posted by: Michelle at December 20, 2004 04:15 AM