When my children were little, I would think, “Once they turn 18 and leave home, the challenges will end.” But nothing could be further from the truth. The challenges of being a mom just change as the children grow. They don’t go away.
I have so many memories of crazy things that happened when my kids were still at home. Like the time they brought baby birds to me in a shoebox because they had fallen out of their nest. It was Mom’s job to try to return them to the bluebird box in our yard while the mother bird dive bombed me. All the while, the kids were yelling, “Run, Mom, run!”
Then there was the fateful moment when Garrett was lost at the circus. He ran ahead of his dad returning from the bathroom during intermission and didn’t make it back to our seats. The lights went out and we searched for him in the dark for what seemed like an eternity at the old Market Square Arena in Indy. It was huge! Thank goodness he was wearing red and we spotted him searching for us with tears in his eyes. How did we survive childhood at our house? It took many, many prayers.
My prayers are still being lifted up daily. But now they are requests for help adjusting to college, the new job, the new house. They are petitions for safe travel, a wedding without a hitch, and a long-awaited baby. When the first grandchild does arrive, the circle of love will start again.
My children have no idea yet that they will develop a bond with their children while they are still in the womb. I carried my Anna with me my whole 3rd year of medical school. She was my companion through some pretty tough rotations. The evening after she was born, I was struck with awe just looking at her. The same was true with Rozie and Garrett. Such a miracle, we often take for granted!
I didn’t birth Tim’s kids but a bond has grown with them too. All six of them are mine. They have a place in my heart that is eternal. Our relationships change but Mom will always be Mom-still cheering you on, still praying you though every situation-no matter what.
