My amazing son

I have been wanting to post this since this past weekend but haven't been able to find the time. In the midst of all of my own personal pain I am constantly reminded of how blessed I truly am to have my amazing children and my home and my family and all of the other blessings that are in my life. I am embarrassed that I don't always appreciate the things I have. Dwelling on the sadness keeps me from always acknowledging all of the things I have to be grateful for. Not that I don't appreciate it, because in my heart I am thankful every single day for all of the blessings in my life, it is more just not taking the time to put it into words.

So this post is about Anthony who last weekend participated in an event called Homeless and Hungry. It is a weekend long event, where participants fast for 30 hours, sleep in a cardboard box, do community service projects and raise money, all to help others who are less fortunate. I have never participated. I have no reason other than I am just not as brave as my son. No food for 30 hours, sleeping outside in the cold in a box.... not quite sure which of these worries me the most but I can say that I am not quite ready to give up my comforts. Not to mention, no cell phone, tooth brush, shower...

But Anthony, he not only has participated for the past two years, but he does it with a smile on his face and is ready to participate again next year! Not one complaint when the event was over, he just calmly took his soup and sandwich which would break his fast, picked out the American cheese and quietly enjoyed his meal. I wonder what these experiences will mean to him as he becomes an adult, what lessons will he carry with him as he becomes a man? My son who sometimes gets lost in the craziness of every day life being the only boy surrounded by a mom and three sisters. Women/girls who are often loud, opinionated, moody, bossy.... the list could go on and at every turn he is kind, sweet, patient. Even as his little sister who idolizes him to the point of complete irritation on his part, drives him to want to scream, he can almost always control his frustration and make her breakfast or play a game with her.

I hope that growing up in a house full of women will be another life lesson that he looks back on with hopefully some fondness but also a better sense of himself as a man. It is a huge responsibility to raise a son, and I only hope that I am teaching him half as much as he teaches me.