"Guys, this week, a friend of mine is coming to take some pictures of us. She's an author and a photographer, and she's writing a book about courageous women."
"What is 'courageous'?"
"It means strong and brave and victorious."
"So, why is she coming to take pictures of us?"
(I deliberately choose not be offended that my name does not immediately come to their minds.) "Well, can you think of any brave women you know?"
They look at each other, genuinely puzzled.
"Yes. This girl in my class who's a tomboy. She is so brave and courageous. She'll try anything."
"That's a great example. Who else?"
"Clara Barton."
"Harriet Tubman."
"Rosa Parks."
(Can you tell someone's class has been studying a unit on Notable Americans?)
"All right, all right. Yes. All of those women are strong and courageous. But they don't live in our house, and this photographer is coming to our home. Can you think of anyone else, anyone at all, who is a girl and who is brave - and who lives in our house??"
Quite unbelievably, they couldn't imagine who she might be.
Your precious boys simply see you as, "Mom". Doing all of the normal "mom" things. You've done everything you could to make their lives normal, no need for pomp and circumstance in their opinion. It's a testament to the normalcy they feel. I think given the tragedies you've faced, that's one fabulous accomplishment.
In agreement with the cape comment!
This made me giggle. You really do need a cape.
I know who it is!!!
LOL. A prophet(ess) is not without honor except in her own house.