The Men in my Life

This is not a post about my past romances.  I want to introduce you to the men that fill my life today with hope, laughs, inspiration, pride, and sometimes tears.   All three need me, at times to the point where I feel I have given the last of me.  While part of being a woman is to make sacrifices, these three are worth it all the time.  My life would be quite boring without them.

Please meet my men, in the order they came into my life.

This is my teenage son, Jesse.  As a baby, he was quite mischievous.  He somehow pulled apart every doorknob from my old apartment, ripped my sofas, and threw many tantrums.  Little did I know that these were warning signs of what was going to come when he got older.   Jesse learned the art of sarcasm and irony at an early age, and did not shy away from wise remarks.

"Jesse, I told you ten times already to stop kicking the back of my seat.  How many times do I have to tell you?"

"You have to tell me eleven times Mami."

My prayers for patience as Jesus had for his disciples helped me get through these trying years.  Jesse was the baby at the time, so I did let him get away with a lot. 

He was a caring boy.  Always worried about how certain situations could cause harm to others.  Like smoking.  He was worried about the members of his family who smoked cigarettes.  He couldn't understand why they would hurt themselves in such a way.

Jesse was always a bright student.  He did exceptionally well with his math classes. A well-rounded student - did well with his classes, was popular with his schoolmates, played sports, played the trumpet,and joined groups that gave back to the community.  Of course, I was the proud mom.  Jesse has had a difficult time with his social life the past year, but I intend to be there for him as he gets through it.  I pray that it is a phase in his life that five years from now he will appreciate the lesson learned.  He's off to college this year.  I jokingly say I can't wait to have him out of this house, but I know I'll miss our fights.

This is my husband, Sergio.  He came into my life when I was bitter about relationships, and I was just about to lose hope in men.  Sergio showed me what a real man is.  His relationship with his mother was evidence that he had respect for women.  Sergio was the man I needed.  A man that did not take me for granted, was not insecure, and did not just aim to please.  As a strong and determined woman, a "yes" man was not going to do. 

Sergio is not afraid to wash a dish, clean the bathroom, or change a soiled diaper.  He's handy around the house, and saves us a lot of money when it comes to home improvement.  He doesn't expect much from me.  He needs me to balance the checkbook, and provide him with a home cooked meal.  I have no problem with that.  He's not perfect, but neither am I.  He does have a short temper, but I have learned through experience that two wrongs don't make a right, so I stay calm, and eventually he calms down himself.  He's in this for the long run - he'll need all the strength he can get.

Now, this is my little man, Gabe.  He was the bigger twin at 5lbs, 12oz.  The first 24 hours of his life were critical.  He then had jaundice, acid reflux, and a heart murmur.  He went through a lot of probing and pricking the first three months of his life.  As I browsed through my baby journl, I found that I was always worried about him.  Our last worry came when he was about a year and half old.  He was distant and quiet. He would wait for his sister to finish playing with a toy before he attempted to touch it. Gabe would stand at the corner of the room, and patiently waited for his sister to leave my side, before he could get some Mommy time.  I sensed something was wrong, and did some research.  I took action immediately.  I made sure that I was not going to let him be, and wait for him to come around.

A few months after my concern, he shocked us with his turnaround.  He was talking and reading before he was two.  Now at three and half, he can pick up a book, and read sentences. I am not going to lie that TV has been a part of his learning.  When we drive past a Walmart, he'll say, "Mami, Walmart, save money, live better."

Gabe is not as athletic as his twin sister, which drives my husband crazy, but he is bright, caring, and has the sweetest smile.  I can see the man that he will become through his relationship with his sister. 

I can write forever about my men, especially my two boys.  Tell me, what makes that special guy such a wonderful part of your life?
 
Flory
One woman, one voice!