How do you tuck in a superhero?

I bought myself a present for Mother's Day this year.

I thought long and hard about the perfect gift for myself.

I really want a necklace from Lisa Leonard's fabulous collection, but quickly remembered my birthday is in June so I could save that for a different occasion.

Plus when I dropped a hint to Richard that this would be a special gift, he reminded me of another necklace he purchased for me that I rarely wear.

Hmmm, pretty sure there are 5,000 tools in the garage and I am not offended that I have only seen him use the tools I have purchased for him a few times. Nor do I question his need for new tools when they enter the house.

He didn't see the comparison.

I went to the Christian Bookshelf in town and browsed the aisles desperate to find something that would be encouraging to me as a mother.

(I LOVE looking in book stores by the way! I LOVE to smell the new books and touch them. Weird I know, but it is true. As a mother of boys I appreciate things that are clean, not torn, and not destroyed because they were used as a spaceship for an alien to fly down the stairs!)

I found many things I probably could have justified as being "encouraging," but decided on a few devotionals for mothers of preschoolers.

I thought of a few fitting titles that would be perfect for me such as,

"How to survive life in a male dominant household"

or

"A dummies guide to mothering boys"

or

"Signs and symptoms of hearing loss after raising little boys"

I was a little disappointed I didn't find any of these titles until I saw this on the shelf:

(cue angelic music)

The title caught my eye as I was making my way to the check out before my two full-of-life toddlers gave the sweet elderly couple leisurely shopping a heart attack.

You must know that I am an avid library-book-checker-outer, so it is often difficult for me to purchase a book.

Mostly because I read them so fast that it seems silly to spend the money when I can usually just check it out from the library. And I am overwhelmed by the amount of stuff we have and thinking of adding more stuff to our house makes me hyperventilate and get sweaty.

Unfortunately, the library in Grand Forks is a little behind the times.

However, our church library is phenomenal and makes up for this a bit.

I was spoiled by the library in Iowa City, which often had holds on new releases that were added to the library's collection the day it was released to the bookshelves of stores!

(I have been getting used to this, and as a result have purchased more books recently)

I hurried home and read the first few chapters while I fed Isaac.

For the first time in weeks, okay months, well actually years, I felt normal.

The author, Rachel Balducci, describes life as a mother of 5 boys.

As I read each page, and digested each paragraph, my heart began to sing!

All this time I thought perhaps I was doing something wrong, or seriously messed up somewhere, but I am feeling a lot better about how I am doing after reading her book.

She does an excellent job sharing her families antics, offering advice, and providing facts about raising little boys.

I laughed, I cried, I read some out loud to Richard.

Then I thanked the Lord for His divine intervention and great Mother's Day gifts.

Richard didn't get me a necklace, but he did write a post that meant the world to me and still makes me tear up when I read it.

You know when you read a book and enjoy it so much you feel as though the author has become a good friend of yours? And by finishing the book you are ending the relationship you have together? Okay, maybe just another weird trait about myself again.

Anyway, that is definitely how I felt about this book and I savored every word until I reached the end. With tears in my eyes I turned to the back cover and was thrilled to learn Rachel has a blog! I checked it out and learned she just had her 6th child, who happens to be a girl!

I have been encouraged by her vulnerability on her blog as she has been struggling with adjusting to life with a newborn too. Forget the fact that I only have 3 kids and she has 6!

If you have a superhero at home and need words of encouragement I would strongly recommend you purchase this book!

It is well worth the laughs and if it doesn't make you feel normal than you should win an award for doing such an excellent job raising your son or sons already!

As crazy as these days are, I do cherish my days with a house full of superheroes.

Someday I will miss these days filled with soaring imaginations, adjusting of capes and masks and nights of tucking in my sweet little superheroes.