I believe in God. And I’m certain that "He" has very little control over a world that we mortals have influenced to the point of tragedy, illness and misfortune. I’m not going to get into the details of my kind of faith, but I know this to be true. Why? Because, as we have heard in some form or another, no God would have had scheduled kids’ teen years to coincide with mom’s menopause. I’m not talking about the classic clash of teen rebel without a cause vs raging hormonally challenged mothers. I’m talking about the series of events that happen between the ages of 13 and 19 that bring moms to tears in an instant.
Generally, I am not a cryer, but I am a bowlful of mush when watching my kid in the school play, three out of four performances, eyes welling with tears even before he comes on stage, when some other menopausal mom’s kid sings Somewhere Over the Rainbow. My child is so used to my situational emotional upheaval that he text messages me from back stage, "R U crying yet?"
I might appear strong and tearless on the outside, but I am a soggy mess inside while holding down my drunken child’s leg while he receives 30 stitches in three layers.
Smiling, the tears would have a shorter distance to travel before I taste them. I’m watching through the glass gym door and see my six feet tall little boy in his high school ballroom dance class effortlessly salsa-ing with a redhead he’s known since Kindergarten. Call me sentimental, as echoes and images of them Ring-Around-the-Roseying turn me into menopausal meatloaf.
No wonder he wouldn’t permit me to take pre-prom photos last weekend. I feel like a walking breathing Kodak commercial. You know the one if you’re old enough. The one with the "Turn Around" song.
Life's a Stitch 
25 responses to “I’m a bowlful of hormonal mush”
Man do I know exactly where you are coming from!
Your post even made me sniffle!!
I am finding the older I get (55 now) the more I sniff when I look back on things. Don’t understand why, maybe it is because I feel it is the end of one of life’s stages that makes me so sentimental..or maybe it’s because I remember how sweet it was but at the point it was happening I never had the time to fully enjoy it.
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I know that song and I know I’ll be having all these feeling myself WAY too soon. Where does the time go?
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Well…hormones, schmormones….who WOULDN’T cry??? What a GREAT kid!!! You have obviously done a wonderful job raising you such an exceptional young man!!!! Sounds like he is in tune with his Mama too!!!!
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If you think that’s bad, just wait until your little darling walks up to you and places his infant daughter in your arms. That will go down as one of the greatest moments of my life. Your guy is so cute! Let’s hope for more of the salsaing (is that a word?) and less of the stitches in the future!
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I am not even menopausal yet and I dissolve when proud moments hit the fan in my girl’s lives. Right now we are struggling through defiance and control issues, so I am more likely to throw my hands up in despair! And then one of those tender moments hit.
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I have tears in my eyes and I’m not menopausal. I was prepared for my own kids to have an emotional noose around my neck. I was not prepared for the sympathetic misty eyes I get over other people’s kids.
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Not menopausal but your post made me teary eyed just thinking of the future for my kids. Time just goes by too fast. You have a handsome boy 🙂
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O my God I remember that commerical! Memories like the corners of my mind……….. One word …. EFFEXOR! I felt the same way when Anastasia had her 12th birthday sleepover on saturday. I was thinking how FAST the teen years are coming. Where does the time go? Boo Hoo ! Loved the photo of Bryant and his date. That was one of the poses we use for the WOW prom program with Lifetouch.
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Girl, I should have known better than to click on that link. Now I have to redo my makeup 😉
I cried all the way through my niece/goddaughter’s graduation this weekend. Her own mother wasn’t even carrying on as much as I was, but then she’s pretty much done with the menopause crap.
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Yup, I can relate too! Wonder how long it lasts?
Sheri in GA
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Li, You’ve got to see an old episode of ‘The Wonder Years” where the young boy laments on the mother/son relationship. When they’re young, they never want to be far from Mom. When they’re in their teens, they don’t want to know they have a Mom. There’s a snipet at the end of the show where they run old family film footage of the little boy through the stages of childhood… first steps, first birthday, bringing Mom breakfast in bed, and the last shot…Mom running behind the little one as he learns to ride a two wheeler. All to the tune of Joni Mitchell’s “The Circle Game”. I first saw it in the late ’80s when our oldest was only two and it still brings a tear to my eye.
Hope Bryant had a great time at the ‘prom’!
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Awwww….I think you need to go back to taht spa. 🙂
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awwwww, Li.
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I did not recognize the title of the song, so I clicked on the link. Then ‘Ah! THAT song’ came up. It’s a great one for a lump in the throat. Bet many guys (always menopause-free)would also respond that way.
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Bittersweet teens. We were lucky enough to see Mums the Word on Granville Island where the good and the bad of parenting teens was explored. Some of it was from my own journal. But on returning home, we were invited to see our 16 year old son receive an A honours award and hundreds of grads receive bursaries and scholarships from community groups. It was very inspiring, enlightening and uplifting.
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I’m still a wreck half the time. (The letters from a daughter at boot camp will do it to you too.) A return to the spa does sound good, doesn’t it?
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He sent you the text message? What a fantastic young man you’re raising. I don’t remember that commercial, but others come to mind. My doctor told me it’s the “beginning of the end” oh goody. No emotional swings – yet, but temperature changes oh yeah. Life eh? Gotta embrace it!!
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awwww, so sweet! whether it’s hormones or emotions, it’s all just moments of joy.
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Aaaawwwww, how sweet! My oldest is 13, so I know that I will have all kinds of similar experiences pretty soon. And then 3 more times after that, lol!
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I’m not menopausal yet, but I can certainly relate!! Hallmark commercials also tear me up!
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Awe, I was too young for menopause when my kids graduated. Now, however, I blubber over real easily. I didn’t know this comercial, the photos are great. They used to do great make up. I know my mom has similar photos of her. Your boy looks very happy!
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I don’t have kids nor am I “enjoying” menopause just yet, and I can blubber with the best of ’em. And there’s no way I’m clicking on that link!
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Hi Li: Wonderful photo again. Jamie’s prom was last year and I have tons of photos also. I read Eat, Love & Pray and it was a good book but the author was really hard on herself and all of her issues.
But even better was the book Vanished by Elizabeth Gilbert. It keeps the reader on pins and needles. The bookseller of Kabul and Falling Leaves were also good. I am reading about 5 books a week lately and soooo enjoying it. Had a great day today and took the Bridgeport Ferry over to Port Jefferson on Long Island. Boy is that a quaint and fun town now. It has the best shops and restaurants. It is like a Long Island Sausalito.
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Sweet. And don’t forget ‘Sunrise, Sunset’ as a tear inducer. I’ll be investing in industrial strength waterproof makeup for my kids’ weddings.
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Ok the commercial wasnt the one I was thinking of, but I knew the concept. The one that used to get me was when Disney was having their 20th anniversary special. They would show clips of home movies from people who were there in the early 70s. OMG it could have been my family! Used to make me CRY!! Kind of what I’m doing now. Gee THANKS!! LOL And your son looks very handsome holding that beautiful girl in his arms. I can’t even imagine it yet……and quite honestly I dont want to.
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