But guess what? She was right! :) At 14, his voice hasn't changed quite yet, and the facial hair is minimal, but it's coming. And he's a couple of inches taller than I am. Already at 5'11", I'm sure he'll be passing up Reid in just a few more months!
Lately it seems we've had to loosen our grip more than I am ready for, and it's happening fast. First came the night he asked "Mom, when am I allowed to ask someone to go out with me?" Uh-oh, here we go! (By the way, we decided it was alright, as long as he agrees to the parameters we set for him.)
Today, he rode his bike to the park to meet up with his friends. No big deal, right? Well, this park happens to be in Newberg, a whole 3 or so miles away. Still no big deal, right? The big deal is that in order to get there, he had to ride 2 miles along the side of Highway 99, just feet away from zooming cars and trucks. YIKES! I was a little nervous about it, but he arrived safely and called to check in once he got there. Besides, it's Saturday afternoon, and traffic is pretty tame at this time of day.
Sigh. Why do they have to grow up so fast? And why do we have to enter these new waters, inexperienced and fumbling our way through each new stage of a child's life? I have a feeling we are on the brink of some of the harder years, where the decisions we make and what we choose to allow or disallow is of a greater magnitude than ever before. I have a feeling that the letting go a little at a time is going to be oh so hard, and yet could be oh so sweet.
I love watching my children grow up and become young adults. They are becoming such wonderful young people! I just wish there was a way to know how to navigate these new waters with the kind of wisdom and grace that will bring them through safely, with maturity, confidence and most importantly, living lives that glorify God. Guess we have to leave that to the Lord, and just do the best we know how.
Here's my young man, then and now.
LOL...well you are cousins with a grandma now! Had to tease you. Life is never boring and goes by fast. I know when I was young and told my folks or grandparents I was bored they would tell me that I must not be using my imagination. Now I can't even "imagine" how I ever got bored. My point being that as soon as I did become a mother I could see how fast life was moving and had a whole new appreciation for what they were trying to really say to me. I wanted to grab on to my children and not let them go and yet you cannot do that to them. You have to let them grow and I think it's harder on the mom than the children. It's still hard on me when I see them struggle and don't want me to help. I recall the moments when they were small and would say "NO MOM I want to do it myself". Trust in God and in them. It is so hard to give up control especially when it comes to your babies. OH RIGHT they aren't babies anymore. Did I just hear the snap of a finger? Trying to appreciate every moment has been another part of my spirital and christian growth. An essential one I think and a blessed part of it I must say especially as distance has become a factor for us. I love you Carrie. Every word you have said reminds me that you are such a wonderful person and mother. Your husband, children, friends and family are lucky to have you in their lives. Patty
ReplyDeleteI remember that baby boy! However, I have NO idea who that boy in the second picture is. What happened? He looks every bit like the wonderful young man that I would have expected him to turn out to be though.
ReplyDeleteI am with you, friend. For me, so far, this has been a very lonely time of life. I felt like I had a close community to hang out with and talk things over with when my kids were little. Now, I feel like I'm sort of floundering out here on my own. Partly because I'm way too busy to hang out with anyone anymore, and partly because I don't really have any friends with older kids. I enjoy my kids so very much, but I definitely feel very alone. And tired. And the decisions! I never knew how hard all these decisions would be on a daily basis. Somehow, I just know that this time will go every bit as fast - possibly faster - than their baby years and I am really, really trying to savor in the midst of the madness.
Oh, and I think I know who that lady at church was. Sounds very much like a lady I know. Am I right? :)
I am right there with you. Some days are not easy as the bear has come to stay for a while (growing and experiencing a new place without peers) but it will go by so fast now that they will be in high school. I know he's tired of advice, but don't you feel like you have just a few more minutes till they leave for college?
ReplyDeleteI have the same paint splatter/bucket/ladder pose of Jack at the same age! RIch!