The other day I needed to run down to the Corner Store of where we are staying ~ our older son’s place has a corner store in the apartment block he lives in. I had to buy Sour Cream and Plain Flour and a few other items. I glanced over to see a Newspaper. Now I never ever read the things…they are a waste of time because its all about ” Sad News” and they never share any good stuff.
But I purchased one for David’s Dad to read because he likes to read them {David also likes to read them} It must have been calling out to me because as soon as I picked up that Paper it changed my day.
I Did not even realise how good my timing was until the paper was being read.
Our Oldest Woody Son is in the Paper!! Oh gosh you have no idea how much this means to us….we must Shout It From The Rooftops.
But before we do that I have to go back a few years into history…..
Our Older Son ::
He was the loud one of the classroom. He was the one who mucked around to get everyone to laugh.
He was the one who to went to Primary School for the Social Aspect and not for the education.
He was the one who the Principal noticed and knew by name. I am sure they knew our Phone Number by heart because he called it so many times….
He was the one who was always noticed for things that everyone was doing around him….the one who was caught out when everyone got away with it. {he was louder than the others!}
Now I know better. Now I would never ever let anyone speak to me the way they used to about one of my sons….Now I know how to forget the negative stuff and focus on the Good Stuff. Now I have read “He’II Be OK” and I know that I have experienced his changes that YES he has “Grown up OK” I feel like I can share the good things that happen in our family.
{ If You Have Sons Then I Highly Recommend You Read This Book – Yes I GET A SMALL Commission for sharing it here but this book has changed my way of raising my sons and it must have worked cause they are Gorgeous Men }
You know what ~ unless you are with my family – all of us – 24/7 you too will see the Good Stuff and forget the other stuff that goes on. You can’t be around us for less than a day and think you know how our boys behave all of the time, you can’t ass-ume to know us.
You might see them saying stuff back an forwards to each other that are not nice, or you might see them being rough to each other but unless you are with us day after day after day you won’t get a chance to see the kind things that they will do toward each other. They do care about one another, it’s just that they are boys.
Because We Want TO Shout It From The Rooftops ::
Our Woody Son is in the Newspaper and we are ALL very proud of him. I messaged him privately and I know which one he is in the Paper {sorry can’t share that here} and I have heard how Proud he is of the Navy and the Job they all are doing together. He is proud of his work and so he should be.
He is now part of a team.
He is now following his training and he is now catching the guys out that are breaking the law.
He is now part of exercise that makes a difference to the world…
He is doing a Job that is dangerous but doing it safely. Guess I can thank my Late Grandma for that because she let me know He Would Be OK no matter what he was doing.
So from being born with breathing issues {Sleep Apnea} and reflux, to being a very active toddler, to being a crazy Primary School child, to having a Fun Filled High School time to now….oh if only those that told me he would never be able to amount to anything in life could see him now!
Oh if only I told those negative people where to shove their talk!! Now days if you were to speak to me like that I would turn my back on you.
Now days I am way stronger…
Now days if someone meets my family and they only see the surface and nothing deeper within of my boys I brush them aside. They are not important to us, my family needs are.
Yesterday we meet a gorgeous Family Member who made my day. She smiles and you can feel the love coming from that smile. She is one of those people who you want to be around because she sees the good in every situation.
She gave me a hug before she left the Family BBQ and she whispered in my ear
“Lisa, your boys are so polite. You have done a fantastic Job raising them. Good on you”
That one hug made my day. Those whispered words made me the happiest that day.My smile grew from ear to ear and I could feel the love coming out of her embrace and into my arms.
And she is not the only one who has seen my boys in that same light. A few other people have come up to me recently to let me know that my boys are the nicest boys they have come across and that they are making other people lives happy by them being who they are.
So if you see me I will be sharing the Good Stuff. I will be Shouting It From The Rooftops.
I will be boasting about my Oldest Woody Sons achievements. I will be crying happy tears when he returns home safely in February/March. His Dad is that proud of him that he has been telling everyone at work, sharing the Online Link with everyone that he knows.
We even had to stop on the way home the other night to buy Four more copies of the Newspaper!!
And again we shared the Newspaper with Family yesterday. His Grandma was that Proud she made sure we had a copy with us to show her family members and it was the first thing she did when we got there.
So to those that tried to bring him down when he was younger.
I would love to show you the Newspaper Article. I would love you to see him now. I would love you to look him in the Eye, see him in his Uniform protecting our Country for all of us to stay safe and to say that you got it wrong….he was way better than what anyone of you thought!
He is serving his country and we are damn proud of him.
If only I was stronger back then…you too would have seen the good stuff in him if I had been stronger.
Now I am stronger. Now I share our older son with pride because deep inside of him is so much good.
And I am in love with all of my boys….each and everyone of them will do amazing things! Just you wait and see.
Hang around them long enough like I do and see the “Good Stuff” – forget the day to day stuff – Look deeper within and you too will see them in the same light. So don’t say to me “Gosh I don’t know how you do it. I wish you luck cause you are going to need it” – Bugger off. I have raised two fine men so far and I know in my heart that I have three fine boys waiting to turn into incredible fine Men.
Nothing will ever be better than seeing your kids achieve, dream, succeed and be happy.
When they were little people used to ask me what I wanted for each an every one of them….I always said
“I want them to be happy with whatever they want to do”
It still applies.
And it has come true…..
I want them to be happy. Yes we have two in the Navy.
No I have no idea if my third will ever make the Army. But you know what – as long as they live a life following their dreams then to me that is success.
The younger two ~ I am guessing they will want a totally different career path….maybe the circus? Maybe flying to the Moon? Who knows but I do know one thing :: They Will Make Us Both Proud Living Their Own Lives.
Shout It From The Rooftops ::
Here is what I want you to do. I have shouted loudly and proudly my older son’s success. Now I want you to Shout It From The Rooftops something your kids have done to make you proud.
Share it here on New Life on the Road by commenting below.
Or share it on our facebook page, or share it on our twitter page, or share it with those around you. Where you feel the most comfortable but share something/anything that makes your kids know that you are proud of them.
Because no matter what your kids have done, no matter what your kids might do, they all have something inside them that will make a difference to this world. It’s just a matter of finding their true calling in this world, chasing a dream and living a life with purpose.
I know that my five boys are going to make all of us proud no matter what they do….especially double proud when we open up a Newspaper and find their butt facing us!!!
So Get Set. Get Ready – Go. Shout it out loud…..
Cheers
Lisa
New Life on the Road.
Love this post, Lisa!
I love how my boys can be so considerate with each other. Taking 2 pieces of Apple and giving one to their brother. Makes my heart melt x
Grace recently posted..FYBF – The Best of 2013 Edition
Thanks Grace for sharing your Boys sweet moments. Raising Sons is a Great Job because they sure turn into Fine Young Men. Your Two have the best Parents in the World…they both are going to do some amazing things, and I am looking forward to following their Journey!
Thank you for sharing this…this will surely help me when I get to this stage in my parenting.
I can’t stand it when people say: ” they will never amount to anything”. How dare they make such comments on such beautiful life. We are all God’s creation, made in His image…to be loved.
Judy @Australian Inspirational Women recently posted..The True Meaning of Christmas
As a mum of two boys, both of which have caused me a little bit of worry over the years, I do hope and believe they will be ok. My mum used to worry about her one and only son (my brother). He wasn’t doing very well at school in primary school. Did ok at high school. Came into his own at Uni. He now has his own multi-locational business, makes heaps of money and is one very switched on and successful businessman!
Lovely post Lisa. I have been having issues with my twin 15yo boys lately and I have found myself doubting what they will become. I really needed to hear this and funnily enough, my husband brought home a copy of the book a while ago. Think it’s about time I read it. Bless you x Cheers, Tanya
Tanya floodproofmum recently posted..Simple Living Sunday 9
This is a great post. It’s so awesome to see the love you have for your boys shining through the page. I have a four year old boy and I love watching him discover new things. I love hear his belly laugh and it often makes me laugh until I have fat happy tears rolling down my cheeks.
Tegan recently posted..The Best of the Best
I have met your boys Lisa – they are wonderful boys and you should be proud of them all. Nobody is perfect all the time, but as long as the people we love believe in us we all turn out just fine. I am so happy that you are so proud of your oldest and know he is doing great things protecting Australia. 🙂
budget jan recently posted..Tuesday in Townsville or a Christmas Feast of Nuts and Flowers
This brought a tear to my eye Lisa. So you should be proud! You are great mother & role model to your children. I think as kids, we all go through rough patches. Gosh, I ran away from home when I was 16 because I was mixing with the wrong type of people. I am proud of where I’m at in my life & everything I’ve achieved. Oh & I’d love to shout from the rooftops that this evening my 3yr old girl went up to her 4yr old brother, embraces him, kissed him on the forehead & told him she loved him then toddled off to bed. It’s the small moments that make me so proud 🙂 x
Neets recently posted..Looking Back
Lisa I remember you telling me about an episode at school with one of your boys and I couldn’t believe he and you were treated that way until I met the same thing with our daughter. You didn’t let him down by not telling these people to stick it in their ear, you showed him once again what a beautiful mother you are and yes shout it as loud as you can.
People love to have opinions, one teacher at Luca’s school when I asked her how he was going said to me ‘he’s going steadily backwards’ where am I meant to go from this. I had doubts about moving until that moment and we have not looked back. I know our kids will have my dearest wish which is for them to be happy, Your boys are gorgeous, just the way boys are meant to be, and I saw that in only the brief time we spent together. I hear your underlining doubt and that’s what I want you to finally discard, shrug it off like the bad vibe it is and know you are a great Mum, one I admire and can relate to, one who is human and trying her best, one who wears her heart on her sleeve, one who loves those boys beyond herself. I know this post was about your incredible son, and huge congrats to him on his own personal growth as a young man, he is showing those who couldn’t see past their nose that they should keep opinions to themselves. Bravo Bravo
But I wanted to also say “shout to the rooftops that you are a wonderful. loving and proud Mum who does an amazing job with your children, who shows them each day how to be brave, live a life outside the box, and live from the heart……WAY to Go Wood Family xxx
lisa | renovating italy recently posted..Christmas in Italy – just to thank you
This is an absolutely spectacular post, Lisa! As a reader of your blog for awhile now there is always a bright story involving your boys AND their parents who I would also hope pat themselves on the back for the first rate job they have done in child rearing. I can never stop smiling reading a post of your’s or watching one of your Vlog’s involving your boys. I love the title “Shout It From The Rooftops” as it perfectly depicts this story and the continual success of all of you. I’m so proud to hear of Woody’s gallant display of bravery in his new duties. The military and law enforcement (very close to home) are jobs that I have the utmost respect for! My share would be, of course, Phoenix. His constant 24/7 kindness towards all others. Albeit, that is textbook for a Golden Retriever. But, he goes above and beyond every day. Awesome post, our friend! 🙂
Mike recently posted..Reno, Nevada’s Best Breakfast At Peg’s Glorified Ham n Eggs
As a Mum of four sons, 18,20,23 and 24 I GET this! I read that book too many years ago. It’s been a frustrating twenty years for me but I found a huge release by writing about their antics on my blog. It truly helped me see the funny side of all the written off cars, appointments with the principal, fines, loss of licenses, blah blah blah!
Pinky Poinker recently posted..Jean-Claude Van Damme’s Guide to Christmas Day
Oh, what a great post and it reminded me of a few recent conversations with parents who have compared their kids to others (infavourably) and have regretted it later, because each child is unique with their unique gifts and should be celebrated just the way they are. My son has done great at school this year, he’s very loving with his sisters, especially the baby and he is just always so keen to help. My older daughter is a free spirit, very unattached to approval by others and while it makes parenting difficult at times, i truly hope that she stays that way. My younger daughter shows amazing trust to the world around her, always confident that she will be supported – I am trying to learn from her and hoping that she will keep that quality through life, too. Thank you for asking me to think about it!
Tat recently posted..Christmas family traditions: creating our own
I would be shouting it from the rooftops too! You must be so proud! I’m learning to not let people speak to me in a derogatory way about my son either. I want to shout from the rooftops how proud I am of him for being so protective over his baby sister. I have a copy of “He’ll Be Okay’, but I haven’t read it properly yet. Now I definitely will. Wishing you and your beautiful family a very happy and peaceful new year.
Lizzy – Muddle-Headed Mamma recently posted..T’is the season to be jolly {jolly mean to one’s spouse}