If I Don't Get Up This Morning Will This Day Still Happen?

Today my son and daughter-in-law go back home.  They have been here for 3 days.  My daughter and son-in-law have been spending a lot of time here, too, so they all can be together.  All my "chicks" were "in the nest."  Every time I am with them I get used to having them around and then my heart is torn once again when they have to leave.

They can't help this -- this is the way it is supposed to work.  The minute those precious babies are put in our arms we are supposed to be teaching them how to leave us and go out on their own.  We don't realize it at the time--that takes about 16 years.  They're always with us and we begin to take that for granted.  Then they go off to kindergarten and we are sad for about a day and then we get over it.  Then one day you wake up and they are juniors in high school and you realize that in a very short time they will be off to college.

It's downhill from there--you see them maybe once a month while they are in college (at the most) and then they get married and you see them maybe once a month.  Sometimes they move to another city and you see them twice a year if you are blessed.  Sometimes you call them on the phone and you are ok if you get their voice mail because truthfully you just wanted to hear their voice.

They should tell you when they lay that baby in your arms to treasure and cherish every single moment because the moments will not last forever.  We should be aware of this time factor-thing when we are getting up at 2:00 a.m. and changing dirty diapers and when we are walking the floor praying they will get home from the date safely.

I enjoyed my Thanksgiving with all my chicks in the nest.

 
Those moments are precious to me.  I will miss all my children a little more this week because my heart will be sore again.  But everyone has to go back to their homes, their jobs, their lives.

I guess I did my job.