We're entering unchartered waters...

No one could have summed up this week better than Trevor did for me last night:

"Mom, when I get older, I’m not going to be a stinker teenager."

Oh, how I desperately wanted to walk (no, run!) inside and get some sort of recording device! But I know that I can’t hold him to it... besides, if I remind him in say, 5 years, he’ll deny saying it anyway, no matter what proof I have. At the very least, today I’m grateful that he sees teenagers (at least the ones that currently reside in our home) as the stress-causing, sleep-depriving, attitude-giving, I-couldn’t-live-without-them stinkers that they are. I won’t go into details because, well, I love them... forever and always, no matter what... that’s one of our family mottos. And because for all of their naughtiness, their goodness by far outweighs all of it. Besides, for anyone that has seen ‘Dan in Real Life’... I keep reminding myself about this conversation (I’m ad-libbing, not quoting, since I’m going from memory, which is scary):

Dan’s dad: How are thing’s going?
Dan: Well, my kids hate me.
Dan’s dad: Well, that means you’re doing something right!

Is it sad that I’m using that as a comfort to me right now? Oh, and I read up on the stripling warriors... and how their mothers were so freaking wonderful and taught them all things good (oh, how I’m lacking!)... and I keep telling myself that at some point, even those boys must have not wanted to learn all those lessons, and that even they had consequences to their actions, right? I'm so deperately in need of validation right now... anyone?

Five things my kids are sick of hearing this summer:
1. "Remember who you are."
2. "You woke up at what time? That's ridiculous!"
3. "Are your chores done yet?"
4. "I need to sleep - even if you don't!"
5. "I taught you better than that!"