My son Brad celebrated his 21st birthday last weekend. As we all gathered at his apartment to spend the day together, I had one of those "mom" moments. If you're a mother, you know the moment well. And if you're a mother of adult children, you know exactly the type of moment I'm talking about. The moment when you look at your adult son or daughter, and all you can think about are memories from their childhood.
As I watched Brad interacting with his girlfriend and his siblings, my eyes saw him as an adult while my brain pictured him pretending to be a fireman, dressed in a plastic red hat, yellow coat and rubber boots; playing Little League baseball; catching bugs in his little bug holder and setting them free minutes later; participating in children's choir; and shooting hoops on our driveway. I look at Matt and Becca, and find it difficult to believe that my oldest son is married. I see Matt dressed as a Ninja Turtle; assembling Lego projects; driving his battery-powered Jeep; catching his first fish; and getting into trouble at church camp for cow-tipping. My eyes move to Meghann, and I am so aware, as I am every time I look at her, that she is truly a beautiful girl. From birth, she had striking blue eyes and gorgeous blond hair. I remember her painting her name on her carpet with red nail polish; dressing like a princess; lining her stuffed animals up for "school"; learning to swim and dive in our neighbor's pool; and singing in choir concerts.
I'm happy to be in the place I am now with my adult children, part parent, part friend. There's nothing more fun for me than to spend time with them whether individually or all of them together. It is awesome to see my family growing through marriage and girlfriends and boyfriends. But, even as I type these words, I'm also aware of how quickly it seems my children have grown into adults. Only yesterday, they were at my feet playing, and today, they are each making their own way in the world.
I often think of the saying that a good parent gives their children roots and wings. My prayer is that my children always feel grounded in my love for them, and that they soar high above the clouds in their adventures through life. And I thank God for the gift of each of them ... every morning and every night ... thank you, Lord, for such precious gifts.
