My children are growing up and life is changing. I'm not quite sure how the little ones, who once clung to my legs with their noses against my knees, turned into adults so quickly. My house, which once had nary a quiet corner, is often quiet for days on end. It's hard to believe I once had to lock myself in my car out in the driveway for just a half hour of solitude. Actually, it's kind of funny to think about now... Once upon a time we stacked three sets of bunk beds in a bedroom, and a few years later we gave up our own bedroom and moved downstairs just to give our kids enough room to sleep and none of them had a bedroom of their own. Everyone shared. Now the bedrooms are almost empty...
More change is coming. I'm not sure how or exactly when, and I will share eventually, but it is coming. Family is an interesting thing. We start life as part of a group that shrinks and swells with the years. Thirty-four years ago James was officially added to my parent's family as we broke off onto our own. Through the years we added children of our own and as they "broke away" they also made our family grow. We have three wonderful daughters in law and a wonderful son in law as well. In the past nearly eight years we've been blessed to see our family grow as grandchildren were added, and we've also bid tearful goodbyes to cherished family members like my parents. It's the ebb and flow of time...Change often makes me feel apprehensive, whether it's a child making adult life choices or James and I making a decision regarding employment or whether or not to move. Change can be good and, very often, so is accepting the changes that life brings, even when they make us slightly uncomfortable. We're never held responsible for inevitable change, only how we respond to it and therein lies the real challenge.
ah, changes do sometimes take a toll on my soul. I was just sharing with a friend how being alone for most of the day (every day) causes me to bombard my youngest when he comes to visit. When I realize it, I do try to pull it in so he can at least comment. lol
ReplyDeleteI get that, Norma. Sometimes I bombard my poor husband.
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Same here...Children, two, grands, 3...fun and lots of noise. Now? Hubby is 67, I'm 63 and we find ourselves playing with our min-pin and pug most days. Not so bad though...Our daughter still works for us but will be moving to Houston with her hubby taking our 15yr old grandchild with them...he is the youngest.
ReplyDeleteThen we will feel truly, alone.
Oh well...such is life.
hughugs
I don't like the alone-ness that comes at this time of life but I love the days when we gather them all back in for a day or two. Just a few years back it was hard to imagine this day would actually come.
DeleteI love having blogger and Facebook friends though. They help fill in some of the lonely gap.
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I'm a little behind you...but changes are happening here too. In a little over a month, we will be taking two children to college. Luckily they will attend the same college, but that college is still about 8 1/2 hours away from us. Then we will have only one child left. The dynamics of the house will be so different. Our youngest is also the quietest...
ReplyDeleteMaybe you and I will need to go on a road trip one day. We can use them as the excuse. Sound good?
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I've never been one for change...I'm quite sentimental. It's all sad to me. Sometimes I guess I wish time would stand still for just a bit. I'm so thankful for all of the happy memories though, and I enjoy reminiscing and laughing with the kids and Dave sometimes over things that happened when they were little. My kids grew up way too fast also, and in the spring Michael will be moving away to a college (unknown at this moment in time) where he will live on campus. He has been going to school and work anyhow, which means that he isn't here all that much. That will leave us Steven, but he is often not home because he works nearly 60 hours a week. Now I know how Mom felt when I had a 3-4 day a week job and attended Hygiene school full time. I'm not quite sure how we got to this point so quickly.
ReplyDeleteYeah, what's the deal with all these changes anyhow? This has got to stop!
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Well dear girls, I'm older than all of you, and I have experienced all that you are talking about. It's hard to see those little ones grow up, go away to college, get married, move away, Yes, I guess they call it life.
ReplyDeleteI did chuckle at Donna remark about the dog...Yes, Don and I do a lot of playing and loving on Molly.
Sofie is not quite the "fun" dog I'd hoped she would be, but I love when the grandkids come over now and I actually miss them when they're gone. Good thing for holidays and birthdays, huh? (Maybe I need a new dog...)
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Oops. two smiley faces.
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