Proud To Be His Mom

On Monday my older son had a very important test, and he had been studying for weeks.  I actually got up early and made him breakfast (if you know me, you're falling over in shock right now), and then waited impatiently all morning for his call.

It finally came in around noon, and when I answered he simply said "Mom, I aced it."  Tears came and I was filled with pride.  We talked briefly and then he headed off to work.

As I thought about his latest accomplishment, I was reminded again about how far he's come.  I wrote last June about his path in My Son Found His Passion, and next to my story about meeting Ellen DeGeneres, it remains my most popular post.  I received so many kind, supportive comments and I wanted to give you an update on C's progress.

He's currently nine months into the two year T-Ten program, and is still loving it.  C is number one in his class of fifteen students, and has "aced" two certification exams.  He just got promoted at work, and except for the long hour each way commute, really enjoys his job.  He attends school four days a week, and works three.  It's a brutal schedule, but he does it with a smile on his face, because it's his passion.

One of the biggest parenting surprises has been how proud I am of my boys. No matter how happy I am with my own accomplishments, nothing compares to the all-encompassing pride I feel watching C and T find their way in this life.

Raising kids, especially teenagers, is HARD.  There are times you wonder what in the world you were thinking, becoming a parent.  You're exhausted, frustrated, and even angry some days.  You love them, but do not like them - at all.

And then they do something that makes you proud.  "Mom, I aced it" makes every single hard moment worthwhile.