On Saturday I was in my kitchen printing off wedding programs for my oldest daughter's upcoming wedding, when it hit me like a ton of bricks! She only has a few more weeks in our home. I've been so busy with wedding plans and details I haven't had time to stop and think about Jessie not being here. It seems like yesterday she was a little girl sitting at the counter painting a picture or going on and on about her friends or about what she would like to be when she grows up. As a matter of fact, someone must be playing games with my memory, why, wasn't it just last year when we were in this very kitchen baking brownies and making homemade hot chocolate mix to give to our neighbors at Christmas? Wow!, like the song says, "don't blink", that is certainly the truth!
This house is going to be so different without her around on a daily basis. No more days of her sitting at the counter watching me cook and telling me all about her day at school or work. No more of me listening for her to get home at night before falling off to sleep, knowing she is safe and sound. No more late night visits to our room to say, "Mom, Dad guess what?" conversations. I must admit this is a little harder than I thought it would be.
This house is going to be so different without her around on a daily basis. No more days of her sitting at the counter watching me cook and telling me all about her day at school or work. No more of me listening for her to get home at night before falling off to sleep, knowing she is safe and sound. No more late night visits to our room to say, "Mom, Dad guess what?" conversations. I must admit this is a little harder than I thought it would be.
Isn't it funny how quickly time flies by for those of us who are Moms or Dads? From our children's perspective it seems like time just drags on and on. They are always wanting to be one year older, to be 13, 16, 18 or 21 yrs. old. They are always wishing time would just hurry up. It's a normal part of life. I remember my Grandma Madie telling me, "don't wish your life away". I didn't get it when I was a little child, but boy!, do I get it now! I love being a Mom! I have been blessed to be a stay at home Mom for 21 years; thirteen of those were homeschooling Mom years. I am so grateful for the time I have had to raise our children and be for the most part an "all there Mom". I just wish time didn't have to fly by so fast!
I am so happy for my Jessie and her Glenn. He is like a son to us and we all love him with all our hearts. He became part of our family (not officially) a few years back, so it's all good. This season of life is full of excitement, joy, sadness, happiness, laughter and yes a few tears. Thankfully not tears of regret! I wouldn't want it any other way. I want to take it all in and enjoy every bit of it.
So, let the wedding bells ring!
We raise them to leave - we teach them what we hope will help them be productive, caring, capable adults; we pray for their future spouses before they've even met them; we help them fill out college applications and job applications; we rejoice at their milestones of growing up. And then our hearts are broken when they leave, even as our minds know that this is right. I am right there with you, girl.
ReplyDeleteThanks Beth. One day we can look forward to a house full of precious grandbabies I am told that is even better.
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