Turtles Go Bump

There are turtles going bump in my kitchen, and in my living room. I am starting to get use to the sounds. When the turtles first started to take over my home I would find the noises startling. There have been a few times when I have gone through the house with a large club thinking someone was in the house, only to realize that it was a turtle knocking a log against a tank.

My youngest son loves turtles. His favorite turtles are musk turtles. Today we have 4 red-eared sliders, 5 musk turtles, and a 3-toed box turtle. He is hoping to purchase a Russian tortoise next.

It is shocking to me that I am allowing all these turtles in to my kitchen and living room. For years the kitchen was my place. No one was allowed to add anything into my kitchen without my permission. The living room was my domain also. The kids had their rooms, their playroom, and a computer room to mess up all they wanted, but the kitchen and living room, were all under my control.

As I sit here listening to the newest turtle bang against the box set up for her to lay her eggs, I am wondering what happened? My first thought was when did I lose control? However, as I continued to think about it I realize that I did not lose control, I gave up control.

Why did I give up control? Because I realized that my boys are going to be gone in just a few more years and then I will be sitting here alone looking at all the neat, orderly rooms and wishing they were messy. Because of the smile I get on my face when I hear my youngest say good morning or goodnight to all his turtles. Because I don’t want my boys to say that they didn’t enjoy their childhood because I had to have a perfect kitchen or living room.

So as I sit here listening the turtles go bump in the kitchen and living room I feel a smile tug at my lips because I know my boys get more pleasure in having turtles in the kitchen and living room than I ever did by those rooms being neat and orderly.