Maning Up

For a month now all six kids have been home. When everyone is home life is smooth and easy. Many hands working together to make light work. Today the three oldest kids headed north. Curtis and Caity return to college and Marissa went with them just to experience their world a bit. Today we have six fewer hands.

The little boys have really "manned up" though. On this, their first day back to school, they worked diligently, completing all their work in the allotted time. They cheerfully loaded up all their stuff to head to piano, only to realize that we are all sick with something that is clearly contagious and we couldn't expose the teacher and her family (what was mom thinking?) so we just headed back to more school. New subjects added, no problem. Take down the trash for early am pickup, "let me". Extra chores to cover for those older siblings, "I'd be glad to!" What a blessing these sweet boys have been, making happy an otherwise sad heart.

We've been reading "Boyhood and Beyond", if you have aspiring young men in your family ( in the 8-15 age range), I'd highly recommend this book. You, too, may be amazed at how your little guys start "manning up". :-)