My life is governed by my kids.  They rule me.  They rule just about every aspect of my life.  They have me right where they want me ... and there isn't a darn thing that I can do about it!

Before they hit their teen years, my sons were the greatest little boys with the sweetest personalities.  Then adolescence set in, and it was like they literally morphed into subhuman beings overnight.  Suddenly, I'm living with two creatures from the Black Lagoon:  they both wear a size 15 shoe, they eat us out of house and home (we're always having to buy food every other day!), they don't rise before noon on most weekends, and trying to have them keep their rooms clean is akin to pulling teeth: it's next to impossible!

I kiddingly tell people I have zombies for sons.  They look like it with their blood-shot eyes (from staying up past midnight and then having to rise at six so they can be out the door by seven, seven-thirty the next day for school), their wild, unkempt hair, and wrinkled clothes that look like they came from the Dumpster at the local Red Cross shelter.  They don't say but two words to me before they eat their breakfast: they must have majored in Mumble 101.

When they have their breakfast, however, we can't get a word in edgewise.  Sometimes it's like trying to talk over a busted record, and Lord help them if they have sugar in their system!  It's even worse!  Then Rick (my husband) and I want to put muzzles on their mouths just so we can get them to shut up!!

Since they are teens, our boys are into all things rock (or rap) (to us it's just noise; we're always after them to tell them to turn things down), cool cars, girls (yes, the hormones have been raging since they hit puberty), and hanging out with their friends.  We hardly see them during the week unless they have homework to do, and the weekends are spent at friends' houses: they don't want anything to have to do with us; it's like we've become second nature in their busy lives!

How we miss the sweet, adorable, loving little boys of yesterday: just four short years ago, they weren't afraid to kiss or hug us or tell us just how much they loved us.  Now we are lucky if we get three words out of them; they mainly mumble or look for a way to escape.  They are not happy being cooped up; they have to get out, or else they might break down the door!  It's really gotten bad!

So what is a mother to do?? I'm not ready for my boys to be in high school in just a few short years!!!!  I want to keep them little forever and ever!