how boys do mother's day

One might wish for a daughter from time to time to share girl things with, but, honestly, it's hard to beat teen boys for truly heart-felt displays of affection--once you get used to their ways. You have to look a little harder for the diamonds is all. For mother's day or birthdays, I always tell them: don't spend money on me--just make me something or do something for me. Really. Let's keep it real boys. One has no money and one has gas and car insurance and some college expenses to pay for.

So No. 2 son (fifteen) washed a big sink full of pots and pans for me last night. I had to strongly suggest that that would be the perfect mother's day gift, and he protested, but he did do it, and it was nice to wake up to an empty sink this morning. He worked on a card, but that did not materialize. Crafting is not his thing.

When I rolled out to make coffee this morning, No. 1 son (eighteen) had left me a lovely rose in a glass of water, and a note that said, "Happy Mother's Day....another gift upstairs." The rose came, he told me, from "the place you go when you decide to buy a rose at two in the morning."  I didn't ask where or what he was doing out at two in the morning.  Then he insisted that I walk up the stairs with my eyes closed. At the top of the stairs was my gift: at two in the morning last night, which is when he came in from being out with friends, he had patched the big hole he had punched in the drywall during a fit of anger. And in his room, another big hole with another patch. (Eighteen has been a tough year for the kid who has never given me a moment's trouble up to this point ;) I gave him a big hug.

Back in the kitchen, I had an empty Cabernet bottle on the counter, and the rose's glass looked a bit short, so I said, "Hey, I'll put the rose in the wine bottle. That will look nice." No. 2 son came back with, "Or trashy. We'll just have to see." Good point. Teen boys pretty much call it like they see it. Another plus on mother's day or any day. If you prepare to walk out of the house in something stupid, they will tell you. If your last hair cut was less than attractive, they will not varnish the truth.

And that, my friends, is the way teen boys express love--dishes, roses, drywall patches, obvious truths, much humor, and always many hugs.