I did not mind all the sacrifices but stealing my joy as a mother is beyond cruel

[missingthebigdog]

8. Take a deep breath. And another.

It's hard sometimes, late at night when you are angry or down, to focus on anything but the pain. But try.

Try to remember all of the little smiles, the baby talk only you and he could understand, all of the other little things that bound you together when he was small.

I think we are given these things so that we can make it through the teenager years. Teenagers are hard to love. They are selfish and moody, ungrateful and messy. They do all that they can to separate themselves from us, and it is hurtful and infuriating and it is their job.

Part of being an adult is being independent of your parents. Sometimes the choices a child makes to gain that independence are cruel and immature. Usually, they come around and make up for it as they get older.