Need some strength and courage right now......

I saw this beautiful quote recently......

I could not have said it better.   I need the strength and courage and sense of humor to survive without my dear daughters right now.   I am surrounded by men!!!   Now, don't get me wrong, I love the men in my life......but I've been blessed to be able to counter that testosterone with the dear daughters GOD blessed me with in my family.   However, since they chose to abandon me to spend two weeks helping another friend in California, I've felt quite alone.....

So what have I learned?   I've learned I don't need the table so big......but the quantity of food required seems to remain the same (amazing how those boys will eat until it's gone, regardless of how much is fixed!)

I've learned that all activities require sound effects.   I've known this from day one, but I don't think I've noticed how MUCH sound effect was required to watch a "guy" movie.

I've learned that they take forever to complete a cooking task.   We laugh that our guys are so focused on only one thing at a time, and I miss the multi-tasking capabilities of my dear daughters in the kitchen.   Two times my guys have fixed the meal completely without my help (pretty good for only having the girls gone for 4 days!!), but.......I have been nearly starved by the time it was finished.   I realize I must teach them complete casseroles if they will ever be of any help to their wives one day, and if not, I will pray that their wives appreciate their heartfelt desire rather than the quickness of the meal.

I've learned that boys can talk just as much as girls if given the right topic.   We've enjoyed some wonderful conversations without sisters here.  Not sure why, but I suspect I'm too comfortable with the topics the girls and I love and can jump right into discussing.   I know it takes sooooo much longer with my sons, but I don't think I've taken the time necessary the past few years.   Let me explain.   If I am going on a four hour trip with either daughter, I can guarantee we will jumped into our first conversation before we even hit the pavement.   Not so with my boys.   I went on a four hour trip with one son not too long ago.   It took 2 hours and 45 minutes before we were finally able to get into a deep conversation.   It was fabulous, thought provoking, insightful, heartfelt, tender, loving, just wonderful!!!........but it took 2 hours and 45 minutes to start and ended in about 25 minutes.   Then, we moved on to knives.   I needed this reminder that it just takes more time for these deep conversations with my boys.

I've learned that I'm treasured.   I have had three men opening doors, helping me lift things, killing snakes, hugging me, and I'm loving every minute of it.   I know they do this on a regular basis, but I think it's been spread out over three women, so I haven't had it in this kind of abundance.........and I like it!!

I've learned that when my daughters do leave home, I will survive.   I've always joked about how awful it will be when I'm the only female in the house, but I see things a bit differently now.   I am already learning that it will be a blessing to be the only female in the house.   I needed to see my sons for the men they've become and the treasures they are to me, not just to their dad.   They are wonderful help for him, but I am beginning to see them much differently as I have them, and only them, around the house.   I am going to do just fine when my girls leave.

I've learned that I really don't have two sons.   Instead, I'm seeing that I have two more wonderful friends, and I like it very much!!