It’s time to share the things we’ve learned this summer. The What We Learned posts are hosted by Emily Freeman as a “monthly community link-up to share the fascinating, ridiculous, sacred, or small.” Mine is usually just ridiculous. Want to know more of what I’m talking about? Go here.

In no particular order, here are things I’ve learned in July.

1. I do not understand boys but I totally love being their mom.

When I envisioned myself as a mom, I always had more boys than girls. And even though I am a girly girl all the way, I loved the idea of a house full of boys. As fate would have it, the boys do indeed outnumber the girls in our house and from a hormonal standpoint, we are all grateful. My boys are 10 and 6. I worried about the 4-year age difference between them but they are fast becoming the very best of friends. This summer has shown me that and it has been a sweet, needful gift in the midst of all the crazy.

They memorize raps and coach each other on how to get more words into one breath. {Of course they are totally rapping their Bible verses here and not “Can’t Hold Us.”}

And they are all hopped up on American Ninja Warrior.

I’m convinced that they can turn anything larger than a 4 x 4 foot space into an obstacle course. Their bedroom doorway is the spider climb. Random posters strewn across the floor are the landing spots. Sit-ups and push-ups and counting each other’s abs are daily rituals. Last night I was tucking my littlest one in bed and he asked me if I could count his “back abs”. “What are those?” I asked. “You know mom, the abs on my back. How many do I have?”

And that’s why little boys are totally awesome.

They have driven me out of my ever-lovin’ mind this summer with their noise and hooligan-ness and empty popsicle wrappers never ever in the trash can. But they have made me smile and laugh and thank Jesus for the gift of boys more times than I can count.

 

2. Maple syrup is my favorite coffee sweetener.

Sounds crazy but trust me. A teaspoon of real maple syrup in your coffee is perfection. My sister-in-law got me started on this and I’m never going back. It’s important to note that you must use real maple syrup. Do not, I repeat, do not go putting Mrs. Butterworth’s in your brew because that would be gross.

 

3. The world needs more chip and guac hats.

Nothing is wrong. I’m just chilling with the guac…from my chip hat. — Gru from Despicable Me 2

 

We saw Despicable Me 2  again at the free summer movies a few weeks ago. My sister and I decided that these hats need to go mainstream. Dear Walmart, please make chip and guac hats so that we can all snack our worries away while looking wonderfully ridiculous and laughing at one another. I feel like I could handle anything with one of these hats. {And a side of frozen margarita.}

 

4. Target donates stuff to Goodwill.

Do you know about this? Our Goodwill sells brand new goodies from Target. I guess it’s returns and overstocks. Anyway, I found two of these lovely Nate Berkus for Target tables this summer, brand new and just waiting for me amid the ceramic kitties and dusty old afghans.

 

 

Hello lover, with your faux mercury glass tops and gold frames. Please get in my minivan. Never mind those two wild boys counting abs and dripping slushie juice in the backseat.

It’s like a marriage between my two favorite stores. {T + GW 4 Ever}

 

5. I’m not as young as I used to be.

News flash, right?

We have some major projects and upheaval right now and in days gone by, I would have stayed up super late and consumed lots of coffee and gutted it out because I’m all about getting the job done.

Not so much now that I’m over 40. When the sun goes down, Marian is tired and can no longer work. The energy of my youth is now laughable. And I don’t ever plan on pulling an all-nighter for anything ever again. Unless there is a all-night Nate Berkus for Target overstock clearance extravaganza at the local Goodwill.

Anyway, my old-age exhaustion has been both frustrating and freeing. We all have our limitations. In my good moments, I can accept them with a sense of peace and gentleness toward myself. In my anxious moments, I tend to resent them and try to barrel ahead anyway. The latter approach never ends well. But still, I am slow to learn.

 

6. Several hours of quiet {in my own home or somewhere without other people} is priceless.

I’m a mom who also happens to be an introvert. I actually love people but I’m drained by social interaction instead of fueled by it. That includes interaction within my own home….especially within my own home. Steady doses of time alone are the way I recharge and maintain sanity. But this summer? It has not happened. I had my first ever time alone in months here at my house Sunday evening. Two and a half hours of blissful solitude. I literally savored the silence and stillness like it was my last meal.

And then everyone tumbled back into the house and I loved them again.

Technically this is not something new that I’ve learned. But it is something crucial that I’ve not prioritized this summer. And then I wonder why my eye twitches and I can’t remember people’s names and I forget to put a coffee mug under the Keurig while it is dripping coffee all over the kitchen counter. {True story from two days ago.}

Sometimes the alone-ness is just not possible. But when it is, it’s a gift not only to me but also to the ones I love.

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So how about you? What have you learned this summer? Tell me in the comments or feel free to link up with your own post over at Emily’s.

A few other posts from this summer

When Summer Gives You Crazy & You Give It Right Back

When Life is a Broken + Beautiful Mashup

Fighting For Peace When Everyone Else is at the Pool

8 Things I Learned on the First Day of Summer

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