Homemaker Monday: The 18-Year-Old Boy's New Mother

Welcome to the 97th weekly edition of...

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YOURS: This week I have chosen no "YOURS" because I'm on vacation and haven't had time to go through each of last week's entries. So sorry, but I promise I'll do better next time! Also, sorry I didn't even get MckLinky up last week. I had intended to do so, but the hotel's internet connection was down, so no such luck. Thanks for understanding! :)

MINE: So I decided that from now on, I'm going to raise the kids until they're 18, then I'm going to give them to my sister, this lovely lady...

(Isn't her hair.... um... amazing?)

As most of you know, the 18-year-old boy moved out of the house on May 24th. He moved to Santa Cruz, CA, and is now living the good life with Robyn. He surfs, he works construction with a cool, fun guy, he surfs, he goes out to eat, he surfs, and sometimes, just sometimes, he goes teaching with the local Mormon missionaries.

What I love about the fact that my sister is now his mother is that during our family visit to Santa Cruz, it was like I got to be the grandma, you know, I didn't have to discipline or correct, and I got to go home at the end of each day. When the 18-year-old boy wants to go somewhere, he asks my sister if he can, and lets her know with whom he'll be and when he'll return. When someone needs to lecture him about not helping with the dishes, she does it, and lecture him she does.

Does he need a talking-to about not putting gas in the truck after using it? She does it...

Does he need help opening a local bank account and getting a cell phone plan? She does it...

And you know what else she does? She takes him surfing. Every day. And while we've been here, while John and I struggle with the 4 four and under, she takes ALL the big kids surfing, which has been a HUGE blessing. For any of you who have large families and know how difficult it can be to find activities the older kids AND the younger kids will enjoy, this has been a life saver.

I just thought they were so adorable in their wet suits. Look....

And I was truly amazed that she taught them to actually catch a wave, stand up on the board, and ride it in...

The 18-year-old boy...

The 15-year-old girl...

The 13-year-old boy...

The 10-year-old boy, tandem with Robyn...

The 8-year-old girl, tandem with Robyn...

So yeah, this has worked out perfectly, to give my boy to her until he leaves for his mission. It has been amazing to see the new life he has made for himself. We've gone to 3 church gatherings at my sister's ward since we've been here and my favorite thing to do is to observe the way he interacts with all the new people he's met and become close to, children, young parents, and elderly people alike. And my favorite part? That his best friends are the missionaries. As a mom, I could NOT have it better. :)

Thanks, Robyn, for the being the 18-year-old boy's new mom. In three years? The 15-year-old girl. Brace yourself. (Love you!)

Thanks for listening.

OURS: Okay, I can't wait to hear what's going on in your homemaking world. LInk up!