These Boys

Today was a stake primary activity for the older kids. Our stake center is a zillion miles away so we toted 3 of Cristian's friends along with us to the activity.

Shane and Logan burst into my van making some sort of announcement about their deodorant they HAVE to wear and how much they HATE it. I could tell this was going to be a good drive.

We picked up Cameron and were on our way. Now let me tell you, as a mommie of boys and girls, hands down girls are the yack-ers. Except with this group of boys.

To set the scene...Shane has a booming voice. He is the most emotionally honest, upfront child I know. He is so refreshing. His brother Logan is more reserved, quite sensitive towards himself and others, but he won't let anyone steamroll him either. Cameron is all-systems-go 24/7. He is a wiry, quick little guy. His body or mouth are always in motion. It is usually both. His thoughts go so fast that his mouth can't keep up. He's always excited, animated, and happy. Then Cristian, who in this group, definitely takes a back seat. You'd have to be tenacious to hold your verbal own with these boys. He watches, listens, laughs and occasionally interjects.

We are driving south - the boys are loud, giggly, squirmish, frenetic. Thank goodness for their seat belts or there would have been much roaming about the cockpit. Conversations are jumping from Corvettes to water slides, video games to vacation spots. I am enjoying their interactions while sporadically hollering to "keep it down." None of them are phased by my behavior which means one thing: their moms yell too. Whew, that's a good sign.

I start thinking about their moms and how if we kept these boys together then this would be just one of their many car rides together. I imagined how the 4 of them would talk about each other's moms. Shane and Logan's mom would be up for anything and there would be tons of junk food or ice cream... you know the cool, fun mom. Sleep-overs should be there. Plus, they have a pin-ball arcade game. Sharon would be the relaxed, laid back mom. She'd be the one that would let an afternoon visit turn into a sleep-over and then a weekend stay. She's so laid back and accommodating. Cristian's mom would be the rule enforcer, the yeller. I'd be the one grilling each of the boys about their social lives and girls they liked. I'd make Cristian's house hugely unpopular.

I was chuckling about all this when I had a strange feeling come over me. I can't explain it nor do I know it origins. Maybe it was like a hopeful flash-forward. Of me driving these same boys around through the years. And it came to me that it has to be this way. I adore these 3 little boys. These are the boys that I want Cristian to grow with, these are the boys that he needs to be getting into innocent mischief with, scoping girls out with, attending football games with. These four boys are golden. I would so love for them to finish their childhoods together.

Then a little panic set in. That means the Erecksons & Carpenters have to stay in our lives for at least 9 more years. I was game for it, but will careers and dreams hold 3 families steady, fixed at one spot in space for nearly a decade? It seemed unlikely. But my feeling left me hopeful, that I'll have many more carpooling rides with these screaming, wild boys.

Our ride continued. We made it to the activity and piled back into the van. Same chatter and cackling ensued. I noticed these boys are on the cusp of manhood. They are still innocent enough to be entertained by childish things, but they are growing more sophisticated. The notice of expensive cars, the slight recognition of the opposite sex, sports, and technology. These boys are growing so fast! They are steadily approaching teen-hood! Eeeek!

But, graciously, to allay my mommie fears an exchange brought me back to the present. In a rare lull I asked Cameron, "So when is your daddy coming home?"

Cameron: "On Monday. He is hunting elk in Colorado."
Shane: "What? Your dad's a race car driver?"
Cameron: "No, no. He's hunting elk."
Shane: "Oh, my dad works for HP."

Needless to say I was laughing hysterically. My laughing caught the attention of all 4 and silenced them. What is so funny, they kept asking. I even had to pull over for a moment.

I guess for now these boys are still our little boys. At least they were for today.