My children...

We heard it all the time when we had babies- "O the time will go so fast" and as the toddlers become school age we heard "Wow they are getting so big"- and now we are the ones saying "O my goodness, where has the time gone! They are nearly adults!" Yes, it is true- those sleepless nights that once seemed as though they would not end- have been long gone and now we are preparing for SAT's and looking at colleges! Wow, a few blinks and here we are.

The thing is- I LOVE being a mom! I love my kids being here and hanging out on the weekends. Each night when we watch the news at about 10:05ish the chief of police comes on asking if we know where our kids are and I love to say- Yes, they are all in their beds, sleeping safe and sound! (Silly- maybe but in the same sense- I know too soon those days are coming that they won't all be under the same roof.) I get it, I know it is the way it suppose to be. Parenting is a temporary job. I fought the beginning stages of parenting back in 1994 and had a lot of selfishness to die to along the way, but now I am grieving the season changing.

Mind you I know not all of them are about to flee the nest, and I would love for them to hang around for their first year or two of college, but the fact is- we are on the downward slope of this mountain. I am so thankful for the uniqueness each of them have brought to our family and I am so proud of them.

Things I have seen recently that are treasures in my heart: Keira taking a spelling test and because it was a review list- she had some words showing on her paper and she took time to scratch it all out so she would not be able to cheat. She has done things like this on her own many times. I love that each Sunday she remembers to bring her own communion cracker because she doesn't like the ones at church. We go to grab the cup and she pulls her cracker out of her pocket week after week. haha I love their faithfulness when they say they are going to do something- like read for a timed amount of time- they do it to the sound of the buzzer. My oldest, Marisa, will disagree with choice of clothing, but most days she will come back out having changed into something I approve of- though I didn't "make" her do so. My Shyla- has shared some wise insight recently and it just made my heart swell with joy. She is gaining wisdom as she fumbles through her first year of high school. She has always been so encouraging to her older sister too in the many things Marisa has done from gymnastics to soccer to writing and singing songs. It has not all been easy- life isn't easy. These moments are so precious to me- seeing their character take shape and I love to see them choose right- not because I am standing over them, but because they want to do it the right way. I hope and pray they will always come back to this place- even if they detour for brief periods of time. They are so much wiser than I was at their ages. I am blessed beyond measure to be their mom.


Just one of those mommy kind of days that I am playing the reel of life through my mind and I must say- thank you Lord. I am so very appreciative for this life you have given me to walk in. Some days and seasons are tough (and this is one presently) but I still have so much to give thanks for. Just their breath of life today is a gift. Thank you, thank you, thank you.