I’ve seen a lot of blogs about being a “boymom”. This title is a fairly new one, I think. Maybe because moms of boys are a special breed, chosen by God himself! Don’t get me wrong, girls need special mommies too! But, God has been teaching me some things that I believe I have learned just from being a boymom. Boys! They are ours for the borrowing. We love and train them the best we can. Their ultimate purpose is to go into the world and make a difference! We want them to stand up for Jesus Christ and His Kingdom. Boy is this hard. God gives complete sinners the task of raising men. This intimidates me and makes me want to wave my white flag daily. I give up. I’m failing, yelling, and showing my anger. I’m a failure sometimes to these future men. Does this sound familiar to fellow moms of boys?

Here are some things my boys have taught me.

1.I have very little control.

I can’t control much. My boys have gotten lost in the store, been left behind at grandmas, told a woman she has a big bottom, called a passing dog walker a “turd”, peed off of the deck, pooped in the yard, yelled “danger”out the window to a stranger…..The list could go on for days. We have studied scripture, completed (a few times) The 21 Rules of This House, disciplined, and lectured. Still, this species has a mind of its own. Their brains work WAY differently than mine. May I add that I recently found out that a few years ago, my college age son bought ‘caution’ tape from Home Depot and had a blast at the Taco Bell drive through. Too late to punish for THAT one!

2. My house will not be featured in Martha Stewart’s Living Magazine.

I have had 3 (yes 3!) mantel mirrors broken by flying objects. Our walls are dented, scraped, colored on, and finger printed. The furniture is used for forts, obstacle courses, and trampolines. For crying out loud, I homeschool and it rains six months out of the year. We’re in the house A LOT!! Carpet? We thought about getting some new, but what’s the point. That being said, I have learned to let go of some things. Don’t get me wrong, it still drives me crazy some days. Especially when the sun comes out!

3. Wrestling matches will break out randomly, and injuries happen daily.

With our six boys, we have had five surgeries, five broken bones, a climbing wall accident, a baseball bat to the head, falls off of our retaining wall into blackberries, many bike and scooter falls, and some burns. This list could also go on for days. I’m a careful person. I watch them! I really do! Let’s face it, I’m outnumbered. When the wrestling matches break out, I make some coffee and watch.

4.I have to ask for help.

This has been a hard thing for me. I figure since the kids are mine, I should be able to take care of them 24/7. Wrong! These guys are full of energy, and let’s face it, I am an OLDER mom now. My energy is not like it was in my 20s and 30s, although it’s still pretty good! I have had to learn how to give myself breaks. Thankful for grandparents who take a couple now and then. Also, I would highly recommend to get weekly help if you can. I had a college age gal coming in twice a week for a while. That made a HUGE difference in my week. Just knowing I could run an errand or finish school work with the older kids gave me peace. She got a new job, so I’m searching for someone else! Yes, my big kids help. But, they also have school and jobs and their own activities. They will help me when they can and I appreciate that immensely. Plus, their little brothers adore them!

5.My heart has more love than I ever thought possible.

After a long day, when my little red-head fireball comes up and gives me a kiss and a flower he picked out of our flower bed, my heart melts. When I see them being kind to each other (yes , it does happen), I can see the fruit of our labor. When I watch them sleep, I look at them and thank Jesus for allowing me to be their mom.

I hope that all of you fellow moms out there can be encouraged and know that you are not alone in your daily fight to raise your children. God will equip you for what you need. May God give you strength today! Now go make a fort!