13, 14

13. Josh's friends

.... i feel like i have not one, but 5 or 6 sons--all of whom i will miss
like crazy in the near future.   CA-RAZY.

come graduations and missions and departures for life and
all that lies ahead.

sure, they hang out at our house all the time, and sometimes even
when they should be in school.

sure, they are loud.

sure, they can giggle like girls.  (like girls i tell you)

sure, they play hours of COD and miscellaneous video games in my basement.

sure, they blow up TV's in my backyard.

sure, they build potato launchers and blow up potatoes in my backyard, too.

sure, they eat me out of house and home.

BUT

i wouldn't trade it for the world.

the world i tell ya.

 "Life guarding" with Jack, Nate and Mitchell

 Spud Launcher at Bear Lake with Conner Mitchell Josh Jack & Nate

 Bear Lake with the guys

 Josh Conner Jack Mitchell Nate

 With the guys and Ron

 Josh & Nate California 2011

Josh & Nate (REAL josh & nate)

For some reason TANNER is not pictured in these--
he "up on the roof" & in funeral pictures.
Wouldn't want to forget Tanner.

14.  ...around AGE 14 i was warned by mothers who had passed
through that spot before me to "be prepared", "be warned",
 "14, it's a bad age!"

meaning: mood swings, arguements, fights, slammed doors, the silent
treatment, talking back, all that fun stuff.

and yes--they meant with BOYS. (the girls come out of the womb this way-
it just gets WORSE at 14!)

14 came and went.

and then 15.

and 16.

and 17.

i kept holding my breath, waiting for the "bad" time, the time we would butt heads.

we still have not passed through that with Josh.

Could be his temperament.

Pretty sure it is.

he came that way right from the start.

i thank my lucky stars everyday for his easy going and even keeled
testosterone island  in our estrogen ocean.

God was looking out for my sanity when he said, "I think I'll send her
one of these...every mother deserves ONE of these!"

 Josh, age 14

 he LOVES being the only boy in a home filled with sisters!

 How he REALLY feels!

 Enough already!