More Ups and Downs...

Well its been an uneventful January, thus far. It is so very difficult to raise children... I wish they would have come with an instruction manual. I love each of my kids, but they are so different. Sara is still young, therefore easy to please. Hip HIP HOORAY!! I have a few more great years, which I truly appreciate.
Grace is just starting to be sassy. Thankfully she is still wanting to do things to please us. She is emotional, from one extreme to another.
Then Stockton, these teen years are difficult. Poor Stockton, he still has to take piano lessons and he has been taking for years, but he has worn OUT his teacher so we recently changed him to a REAL piano studio. They are serious, and I want Stockton to continue and learn to play well and hopefully, along the way learn to LOVE it. He thinks we are the meanest parents in the world. The other night, we had a sit down talk, it started out as "piano" but of course, it ran deeper than that. It was so heart breaking not only for me but Brad and Stockton too. I don't think Stockton has ever since his dad cry, that made Stockton feel so bad. I know that 'the plan' is to have free agency but I'm not sure I like it. Even though, he isn't necessarily making bad choices, I want to be in CHARGE, plus it doesn't help that I'm an emotional wreck, most of the time (another resolution, be less controlling). Its hard to let go and let them grow up...but that too is 'the plan'. When I let him make his own decisions then he will be a more productive adult but boy its hard. I feel so protective and just like a mama bear when it comes to my kids. As Brad explained to Stockton, all we want for him is the very best. We want to save him from making the same mistakes as we did (and we both made too many). It seems to have been a good thing, Brad and I have both noticed a change in attitudes, not just Stockton's but the girls and ours too. I love to be around Stockton and his friends, they try to create fun no matter what the circumstances. They are fun to be around, it is just getting Stockton to focus on what is really important in life and try to help him reach the goals he has set from himself. I LOVE YOU STOCKTON!!!