we love our friend E's two boys - M and N! we met M(23) at our first dance at the community hall and then a few dances later we met N (just turned 16 today)!!!! they are both really good boys/young men!
last weekend when we attended the Valentine's Dance, we saw M at the dance - i ran over to give him a big hug and he picked me right up off of the floor. everyone saw how i reacted to him and how he reacted to me - everyone knows that i love him! i hugged him for a good 15 minutes and he did not mind at all. M and his brother N have a reputation for being little criminals around here but such good boys i have never met!!! at the dance we learned that M is interested in bow hunting and is in the process of making his own bow. of course, we told him that jambaloney has several bows and many practice arrows and we told him that jambaloney would give him a bow, some practice arrows, and teach him how to use them. he is also interested in joining the military, so every time we see him at a dance he is full of questions for me. we told him that we would have him over and spend some time with him.
we called M yesterday but he was in the city about an hour or so away. so we took turns talking to his brother N. N told us that it was his birthday today. we told him that since he must have plans already that we would have him over on another day. he assured us that he didn't have plans and would love to come for a visit - on his 16th birthday?!??!?!? so we got up this morning and tidied up the Manor. i wanted to have food pre-made but jambaloney thought it better to make the food in front of M and N to see if they were interested - he was soooo right!
we called M and N this morning and they sounded so excited to be coming for a visit. they showed up at about 2 this afternoon - and what an awesome day we all had!!!! they are such good boys and so interested in just about anything!!! we all yakked and talked about everything, sharing stories and the like. we gave N a card that jambaloney had laying around...and we put some money in it. he was blown away. i explained that since we didn't know it was his birthday until the day before, we didn't have time to get him a proper gift. he didn't seem to mind. i slipped some money into M's pocket and he was all "you don't have to do that" and i was all "it's gas money!" and he just smiled.
we all made home-made, fresh salsa together and they licked the big bowl of salsa clean. they had never had fresh salsa, they had never made it or seen how easy it was to make and they loved it. both of them said that they didn't like tomatoes - you should have seen them licking up that salsa!!! then i made fresh guacamole and some more salsa for our fajitas - jambaloney took M out to the BBQ and showed him how to properly BBQ a steak and a chicken breast. when the steak and chicken was done they piled their wraps with waaaay tooo much chicken, steak, salsa and guacamole that they couldn't close their tortillas. the whole time they were eating they just kept saying "nom nom nom yum yum yum".
i told them how honoured we were to have them as guests. and both of them took turns telling us how happy they were to be our guests. they are lovely young men and i just wanted to eat them! they look at jambaloney like he is some kind of god. jambaloney gave M an old bow and some arrows and he gave N some stuff for his bike. it made my heart swell watching them talk to jambaloney! upon their arrival they both kissed and hugged me in a way that most boys would be embarrassed of. they kissed me and hugged me even more beautifully when they were leaving.
they were supposed to be at home at 5pm as their Mom, E, was having family over for N's birthday. their Mom phoned at about 5:15pm. i told her that they were having a good time and didn't quite want to leave just yet. she told me i could keep them as long as i wanted. i told her i wanted to keep them forever. they stayed until about 10:30 and then we sent them packing with all of their goods.
it was wonderful to watch them hug and kiss jambaloney without any embarrassment - they really love him - especially after he had given them things that they both were so excited about. i love that they ate food that they were not familiar with, fresh and healthy food, and they ate it like a young man and a young boy would. i love that it was N's 16th birthday and he wanted to be with us. i love that they were so interested in everything that we had to say about growing your own food and eating healthy. i love that they both hugged me and kissed me with abandon and M lifted me right off the floor. they both told me that they loved me.
does life get better than this?
i may never be able to give jambaloney a proper baby or child...but i will find sons for him. daughters are coming soon. i couldn't believe how they hung on to jambaloney's every word. they sooo look up to him. and he loves them as much as me!!!
when i spoke to their mother this evening, she thanked me. and jambaloney. she thanked us for taking such an interest in her boys. i thanked her back. for being such a good mother and raising such beautiful boys.
we had such an awesome day. and cemented our friendship with 2 dear friends. i can't wait to have them over again. i can't wait to watch their awe-filled faces as jambaloney takes them fishing in the canoe. i can't wait to see jambaloney all lit up like that again. he loves them. and they love him. and i love them all.
i can't wait.
It sounds like it was a perfect day - and with jambaloney as a role mole / mentor, those boys are on a definite winning streak.
ReplyDeleteIn fact, win-win all round :)
thank you so much Dani. they hung on to jambaloney's every word - everything that he said about everything. the admire and respect him and want to emulate him in every way. i can't think of a nicer thing that i can do for them, then to let them spend time with such a caring, honest and generous man. thank you Dani. i mean it from the bottom of my heart.
DeleteSounded like a very awesome day!
ReplyDeleteAggie - it was a pretty awesome day! and they stayed and didn't want to leave - they only left at 10:30 because they knew that their mother and family were waiting for them. they would have stayed all night i am sure! we wouldn't have minded tho!
DeleteThree years ago, our youngest son Daniel, passed suddenly at 12 1/2. His autopsy was normal, but experts feel that he died of a sudden heart rhythm disturbance. The year after Daniel passed, we decided to do something he had always wanted us to. We completed a homestudy, and adopted a boy who had been in US foster care from age 5-13. Daniel had always wanted us to adopt a child who would otherwise not have had a home. Of course, we miss Daniel always, and look forward to the day we see him again, when we too are called, but we know that Daniel is pleased with our having J. here. It is not always easy as J. has as much sorrow in his life, and we have in missing our beloved Daniel, but we love J. and he loves us now also.
ReplyDeleteThere are many ways to parent, whether it's as a biological parent, an adoptive one, a foster parent, or simply as the best darn mentors a child could ever find. I know you will each find your way, and any child who spends time with you, is a lucky child or teen indeed !
oh Jane. you are one of the strongest and most intelligent woman that i have ever met. i thank you sincerely for your friendship. i am learning so much from your example and i can't thank you enough for it. thank you for sharing your story about Daniel. and thank you for being brave enough, and courageous enough, to do what Daniel wanted. thank you for taking in J and teaching him to let go of some of his sorrow.
Deleteyou have no idea how much your comment has comforted me. you have no idea! xox
I LOVE fresh salsa! Not to take way from your beautiful story (and it was). I haven't been happy with bottled salsa since my daughter introduced me to fresh 4 years ago. I make it every couple weeks. Yum! No wonder the boys didn't want to leave.
ReplyDeleteSue honey - those boys could have easily eaten us out of house and home! and i am learning - if i am to change this communities eating habits - i need to start with the young folk! we love our salsa too!
DeleteDon't you just love the young people who appreciate hanging out with those a bit older? Nothing wrong with giving these young men a second family! From reading your blog, I don't know of anyone who wouldn't like to hang out with you guys!
ReplyDeletexoxo
Mamma
Mamma - we freakin' love spending time with the young folk here. M is really into boxing and being healthy - he almost fainted when i told him i was an 11yr trained competitive gymnast! now he wants me to teach him calisthenics and aerobics after showing him that i can still do the splits! N just wants to learn more about food. and they both want jambaloney to teach them how to shoot, fish, canoe and hunt. they are energizing us in so many ways. and because they will be cutting through the woods regularly, we'll have to be on our toes. they are such good boys Mamma. and we truly love them! xox back to you dear friend!
DeleteThat's so nice! There wouldn't be so many juvenile delinquents if adults spent more positive time with kids and young adults.
ReplyDeleteAs for having kids, don't discount adoption if things don't work out otherwise (or even if they do).
Mr. Smythe - we are sooo on the same page. i know for sure that there would be less delinquents if more adults spent more time with the younger ones. these boys are dieing for someone to pay actual attention to their thoughts, ideas and needs. i promise you, Sir, that jambaloney and i will take care of these precious boys.
Deleteand Sir, i haven't discounted any options. including the option of stealing children from the city - bahahahahah!
Kymber - What a beautiful connection you've made here ! There's nothing better that I can think of, than to reach out and touch someone's life in a positive way. These boys will bond further with you both, as you will with them. Marvelous !!
ReplyDeleteI can't help but think how good you all would be for Connor ... the wheels are a turning in my head.
Happy Sunday to you both ! Blue sky and hot tub ... heavenly ! xo
oh Helga, darlin...you would have died to see how they hung on to jambaloney's every single word! and M kept lifting up his shirt to wipe his face - finally i said to him: "buddy you are really going out of your way to show me your six-pack". he very proudly said back: "i'm glad you noticed. and it's an 8-pack". bahahahahahah! i am so in love Helga - but i have always had a thing for young boys and young men. i have always felt like i could talk to them and that they would listen. there is something so sweet and beautiful in young boys and young men - and i have always done my best to bring that out of them. but again...you should see their rapt attention when jambaloney talks. they are mesmerized.
Deletemy dearest, i would love to spend time with Connor. and i would love to see how he would interract with jambaloney. i am talking about magic. magic! xox
Kymber,
ReplyDeleteYou and jambalony spread lots of Valentine joy, each in your own way. Thanks for the story.
PracticalP - thank you so much. we love these boys and hope to have them in our lives forever. thank you!
DeleteAww what a lovely story. I hope you do adopt kids, I definitely recommend it! ;)
ReplyDeleteJoey...we are really considering it! either adopting or fostering. we would be happy regardless. and your sharing your own story and your girls' story has really helped me and taught me a lot. thanks buddy!
ReplyDelete