I love being a mother.of boys.seriously.

So if you happened to have read my sidebar profile, you know, that thing over there on the right, you would know that I have three sons. What a FUN adventure!
From the very beginning our house has been the "go to" house. All in my master plan. See, growing up, my home wasn't that way, so I have been determined to make my home a place where the boys can bring their friends, where they are always welcome and that they feel like they are a member of the family. We purposely purchased a big screen TV, surround sound system and various gaming programs to keep them here. I think I have accomplished that goal.

On a fairly regular basis, I will venture downstairs in the morning and find a variety of bodies spread out sleeping.

I have gone into a son's bedroom, shaken the body awake in his bed, to discover it's not him at all but a buddy sleeping in his bed and my son is on the floor or in another room.

I have all their numbers loaded into my cell phone.

I have been contacted on my cell phone while grocery shopping to be notified of what I am out of and what needs to be picked up (by my sons friends)

I have fed more boys more dinners than I care to count.

I have gone through more bags of chips, kool-aid, peanut butter sandwiches, frozen pizza's, and other various food and beverage items than a family of 5 should go through.

I am called Mom, Mother Melissa, Mama Catmull, by several boys whom I did not birth.

I have been standing in the bathroom, wrapped in a towel, doing my makeup and been joined by someone who came over for a ride to school and needs to check his hair one more time. (does the word awkward mean anything to you?)

I have been laying in bed, watching TV, and boys have come and sprawled at the foot of my bed just to talk.

I get more hugs than one mom deserves!

I have sat down at the poker table and told them to deal me in. (no playing for money allowed)

I have made it SPECIFICALLY known, that if they wake me up, they are DEAD. Only once did I have to go down (during Christmas vacation years ago) and tell them that if they didn't shut the crap up, I was calling every one's mom to come and get them.

I have every boy who "lives" at my house trained to not only put the seat down on the toilet, but also the lid. THERE IS A LID FOR A REASON! And, an extra step, spray for crying out loud!

I have gone down at 10:00pm on a school night and told everybody to get the heck out of here and go home already.

We have generally had an "open door policy", so often times, the front door will open, I hear voices and then they all gradually descend downstairs if they don't come find me first.

And yet this morning was another prime example of every day, at least weekend night, occurrences. I woke up to get ready for the gym, mind you, it's the butt crack of dawn, and I hear some drumming downstairs. I head back down the hall and hear a body go into the bathroom, I meet the person in the kitchen expecting Tuffy, but instead, one of his buddies.
I make some small talk, like good morning, wassup.....
I walk downstairs and what do I see? The three amigos playing rock band. Now mind you, it's 5:00am which means that they have not BEEN to bed. Instead it's the all-nighter. Which, by they way, I have no problem with as long as they don't wake me up.
Here they are playing.

So I toddle off to the gym, come home and yes, they are sleeping. MMMMMM, wonder what time they will surface??
Go back to the gym for another class. Come home - no one here. Where have they all gone? They should be sleeping for crying out loud! I jump in the shower, and just as I am turning off the water, I hear the dogs barking and going crazy. I think, oh good, Tuffy is home and can go to bed.
NOOOOO, I hear a voice calling,"Tuffy, Tuffy". Walking all through the house, "Tuffy". I finally call through the bathroom door.

Me:"He's not here."
Intruder: "Oh, okay, do you know where he is?"
Me: "Know, who is this?"
Intruder: "G-riff. Good morning Mother Melissa."
Me: "Good morning, I am a little bugged the Tuffster is driving around on no sleep."
G-Riff: "Do you know his cell phone number?"
Me: (no, it's in my phone)" In the pink bag on the kitchen table is my phone, his number is in there."
G-riff: "Okay.... got it, thanks. Will he answer?"
Me: "If he bothered to take it. If you get a hold of him, tell him to call me."
G-Riff: "Okay, see ya"

It's now safe to venture out of the bathroom wrapped in my towel. Head right for front door and turn the deadbolt. At least until I am dressed.

I love every single one of the boys who come to my house! I love my new guys that show up just once or twice and I REALLY love my regulars. My sons' besties. They are all great young men that are not only respectful of me, but respectful of my house rules. They treat me like gold and express gratitude all the time for the fact that our house is a safe place to just hang out. They know they are welcome here ANYTIME!

What will I do when they are all grown up, married, and no longer hanging about like locusts eating my food and trashing my family room? I think I will then understand what "empty nest" means......

l-r Jordan, Tuffy, Brock and Scott at EFY this past summer