Bliss

Raising a teenager is a really rocky road.  It's usually rocky because they're having tantrums and throwing the rocks much like they did at two, the differences are they're bigger now, won't take naps, can't be controlled with sippy cups, blankies or a favorite toy.

The past few days have been bliss.  My husband has been on vacation from work.  Our son has been on vacation from school and I'm taking the week off my online class.  Monday and Tuesday mornings our son crawled in bed with us to snack and watch YouTube videos with us and our cat Kung Pao.  He's been really polite and helpful.  He vocally admitted that since he decided to mind more he's been given more freedom just like we promised him.  That revelation was on Tuesday the 24th.  He showed wisdom, I also got some encouraging news on the 24th.  The 24th also happened to be my late daddy's 99th birthday.

Today I was out at a store.  I went down one aisle after I found exactly what I'd been looking for but forgot a few months ago.  When I turned a corner I was facing a headless mannequin the same size, shape and height as my late mama.  She passed away the day before Thanksgiving (27th) in 1985.  The mannequin was even dressed in an outfit she absolutely would have worn paired with a necklace my late mother-in-law would have worn.  When I walked behind the mannequin the sweater was even raised in the same place Mama's shirts always raised.  I smiled for quite a while

All I can do is smile and feel the love and the legacy they left behind.  I feel them (Daddy and Mama) in the choices I make and the words I say.  Sometimes they're hurtful words, sometimes they're kind words, sometimes I chastise, sometimes I praise.  I know they're gone, but the gifts they gave me have carried me through some difficult times.  I see things that remind me of them and feel a closeness.  We speak of them with love and smiles.  I see certain aspects of my mother-in-law in my husband.  I see traits of all of them in our Son.

I have no idea how our parents coped.  My husband's mom was born in 1944.  She was young enough in the 1970's and 1980's to go with the flow.  My mama was born in 1915 and my daddy was born in 1916.  They were not as easily adapted.  Daddy was very much into learning, I think he'd enjoy the technology.  Mama was not as open minded.  She truly believed that in a storm you had to put the cat out of the house because they drew lighting, so did hand sewing, using scissors or anything else metal.  Mama passed away when I was 15.  There was a huge generational gap.

I have absolutely no idea how she would have handled me at 17.  My son is so much like me, we constantly butt heads.  I was "stubborn as a mule!" and "would argee (argue)  with a sign post!"  I still am to a degree, but I'm learning to bend.  We are all learning to bend.

These past few days have been bliss.  He's acting like the Son I know him to be.  This change of heart started on the 19th.  I'm holding my breath, hoping for the best, trying to prepare for the worst and at this moment I am enjoying this ride so much!   :)