Willfully Weird…

Do you ever look at your family and think how blessed your life has been?  If you have children, when they are small and when you have no sleep, the nights seem like an eternity.  People tell you, this too shall pass and before you know it, it does.  They will be sleeping through the night, and in the blink of an eye, they are in school.  Plays, sports, dances, holidays, summertime adventures all keep you running and fly by. Are you living life, spending time with those you love?  Has an illness or loss made you stop and see life through different lenses?  Too soon, your children look down to say hello, instead of up, to say Mother may I?  Teenage years could bring back no sleep for parents.  High school graduation, college visits, future decisions all being made and soon they are off on their own.  Sometimes all the reminders, prayers, pushing and relentless parenting we drill into our children actually begin to show up as thankfulness.  This is a gift!

Last Labor Day weekend, I went to pick up Connor from school.  He was excited to come home to celebrate his sister’s 16th birthday.   On our way home, the conversation began with…MOM!  Do you know how weird our family is?  Well…I guess so!?  He went on to tell me how grateful he was that his family had surrounded him (he had used the word smother only weeks before) with our presence at events in his life with love.  He had also just thrown his feet up on the dash of my van.  This was a teenage Connor move, that appalled me.  I grew up being told to always take care of what you have.  During the past few years, he didn’t always think these things were so important.  This time, he immediately put his feet down as he sheepishly looked at me, and said, “I’m so sorry Mom.  I know how you don’t like me to do that.”  I was stunned.

Two weeks away from home and he had so much to say.  He said thank you and how grateful he was for me and our family.  Oh, how I smiled!  There are many things I had hoped to learn and hear about as he grew into all that was his heart.  I knew how big it was. As I long for him tonight, I am grateful for all the time that I had with him.  Please remember what a blessing your children are.  They are gifts in our short time here on this earth.  Times can be challenging and downright tough, but be thankful!  Notice all gifts God created, from the rising sun each morning, to the stars at night.  Walk outside, look up, be happy!  Spend time and celebrate with those loved ones.  Connor was right, our family is weird.  Cheers to weird!  Speaking of weird…Happy Birthday to my niece Melia and Calvin’s biggest fan Shelby!  A special happy birthday to Ms. Bates who encouraged Connor to continue in orchestra his senior year and saw in him, great things.

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and  I will give you rest.  Matthew 11:28

Love, MamaC

Photo taken four years ago at a violin concert…being weird.  😀