who's that boy

perhaps you can relate to the statement i am about to make:

parenting is challenging.

children are challenging to parent.

i'm sure my children would tell you that 

i am not always a walk in the park, either.

you have to choose your battles.

and yet help teach them, from a very young age, 

how to be responsible people.  

how to share.  

how to follow directions.  

how to be good stewards of the gifts God has given them.

each child has natural talents and challenges, both.

take this guy for example:

the boy-boy.

he's handsome, intelligent, fun to be around.  

he has a great sense of humor and a kind heart.

he loves back-rubs and is always available for an impromptu snuggle.

but ask this sweetheart to do chores and 

you'll see a whole other side to him.

he roars.

he whines.

 he flat out refuses.

he sits right in front of said task and 

pretends like he neither sees the task nor 

hears you requesting that he perform the task.

which is why the following scene warmed this mama's heart so.

this little man rushed up to me and, face aglow, announced

"mama, i made my bed!"

i rushed right in and this is what i beheld:

now, as i've mentioned before, i'm a recovering perfectionist.

so, honestly, i did notice the rather lop-sided look of the bed.  

comforter askew, pillow off to one side.

at one point in my parenting career i may have said "that's great honey" 

while nonchalantly shifting the comforter.

but this mama's learned a few things over the years.

i turned to my son, my own face aglow, 

swept him up into a big mama bear hug

 and told him with my whole heart

"well done, son, i am so proud of you!"

because even if he never makes his bed 

or folds his clothes or buckles his own seatbelt 

(although i believe he will do all these things in his own time), 

i want him to know that i am proud of the person he is. 

and i am.

that's my boy-boy.