Resistance

is futile. That's the great thing about love. After resisting the urge to express my angst by going through every laundry hamper in the house and turning every piece of laundry wrong-side-out [bwaa haa haa] (after having been judiciously conscious of turning everything in my hamper right-side-out and encouraging [and often just doing it myself] the kids to do the same to lessen J.'s load, the storm has passed. Peace is returning. I even kissed J. 'hello' as I came through the door just now for a quick mid-day break before a long afternoon (Board meeting tonight).

I know the laundry thing would have been kind of 'mean' and certainly punitive...but it seemed like the right response to the situation - at least it did for a couple days.

Now, I'm mellowing. And love always wins. I love this man. I love everything about him - and trying to pretend that I don't - trying to let totally screeching pissed-off anger 'win' - is not in my nature.

We are just looking forward EVEN MORE to a day in the not-too-distant future when we will NOT have teenagers in this house!

LOVE WINS! Love always wins.

(and I'm adding this just so we're all clear: do not ever do that again, J. Seriously. I don't like being THAT pissed off at ANYONE - and especially not you. So just don't go there again....I know it wasn't intentional - but keeping me out of the loop around here is not a viable solution to 'raising teenagers'. Just so we're clear).

[and thanks to my cousin D. who reassured me via email this morning that the things we are experiencing with B. do, in fact, appear to be 'normal' teenage things. Irritating, frustrating, mind-numbing things......but all normal. Good to know....and reassuring to hear from someone who's survived it].