Brief Life Update

Life has a really bad habit of stealing time. It quietly sneaks around, snatching away the hours one after the other like it has nothing better to do. But now it isn't just hours, it's the years that seem to be fleeting away. Let me show you what I mean: 

My oldest is now married and has been happily settled down with his wife now for five months, but it was just yesterday when I was holding him in my arms for the firist time, marveling that such a tiny little human had come from me!

My second son is an adult, still living at home, but learning to make his way with his job, learning to pay bills, and trying to figure out what he should do with his life. But it was just yesterday when he had so much energy that we had to constantly tell him to sit on the couch and calm himself down, or stop breaking things! My prayer for him is to find what God wants him to do and put all his energy into that so he can live for Christ and be blessed. No matter what it is, God can guide him to that next step. 

My oldest daughter is engaged, with a wedding date set for next July. She is very excited, though extremely busy as she plans all the little details she wants for the day her dad gets to walk her down that aisle. But it was just yesterday when I was holding her little hands in mine as she learned how to walk across the room, her doll-face beaming in pure joy as she stepped out into a new phase of her young life.

My fourth child, my second daughter, is learning to be a pilot. She is very adventurous, a bit like me when I was that age, but I would say a lot more daring. In another month or so she will be taking her flight test to get her small plane pilot license. But wasn't it just yesterday when Joe used to hold her up on his shoulders and pretend to fly around the house as he sung the Superman theme song? 

And lastly, my fifth child. My baby boy, who is no longer a baby, but the tallest person in the house. He is the only one left to drive to school every morning, and come next January, he will be able to get his driver's permit and will be driving me to school every day. The children always wanted me to be the one to teach them to drive, but I am not sure I want to do it again. I might send him to driving school if that will help us all a little bit with the stress of it all.  But wasn't it just yesterday he was driving around in his Little Tykes car in the driveway, waving to us as he went past the walkway? 

The fact of how things have changed really hits me hard on nights like tonight. Now we never took our kids out trick or treating, but we created our own tradition at home, calling it "Hide from Halloween Night". I would make homemade pizza and fudge, turn all the lights out, and we'd watch a movie or two while eating pizza on a picnic  blanket. The other day I asked the kid, if they wanted me to make pizza and fudge. They were all in agreement, but I keep hearing that more and more of them are going to be away doing their own thing tonight. Either working or hanging out with their friends. I grew a bit sad and asked one of them if I should even make anything special. 

"Of course! It will still get eaten! We love homemade pizza and fudge!"

So, it is with a sad, but grateful heart that I move forward to make that fudge and pizza. Because, even thought they won't all be here, I still have children at home and I will cherish each moment I have them around. Because tomorrow, they might be off on their own. Thank God for memories and pictures. :) God bless you!