Between my kids and the grandkids, our pool is not a safe place to swim. Any adult foolish enough to enter the water is jumped on, splashed, hung on and generally harassed. Which is why I spend most days sitting in a chair poolside, reading a book and pretending I'm watching every "look Mom".
But there's a time, very early in the morning - 6:30 - that Kirsten and I have it all to ourselves. We walk a mile and then toss the shoes and slip into the beautiful, peaceful, un-kid-inhabited pool. The sun is just peaking through he trees and we swim our laps and talk and it's the best part of my day.
My two babies are stepping out....into adulthood. Grace and AnnaClaire are now grown up and the next part of their life is just ahead around the corner. Anna is headed to college and Grace into the working world.
I've run out of time.
They know what we believe and this is when we watch them take everything we've taught and modeled and make it their own.
It's exciting and it surprises me that we're here. Didn't we just see Grace for the first time in that crib at Children's Hospital? Wasn't it just yesterday that Anna walked through our door a scared little girl?
These two daughters have brought me so much joy - they are part of my everything. I'm releasing them with just a little reluctance.
And they've nailed the look for their 80's party haven't they?!
One of the most difficult parts of open adoptions, which most of ours are, is helping the kids walk through the land minds of emotions that visits often can be. Having a good partnership/relationship with the biological family is the healthiest for the kids, but not always easy to achieve. Most of the families request very little or no involvement regardless of our open policy, which makes the visits that do occur carry great weight. Although our kids are extremely excited to have mom come for a visit, the emotions of the past and the pull of two ,often very different lifestyles, can be confusing and hard. Some of our kids were too young to remember much about their "first family" but others carry a weight as heavy as themselves. And even for myself the visits can be tough. When the kids come to be mine, they are MINE. I have to share them with another mom who loves them too. Nothing easy about all this.
And yesterday we had one of those visits. Despite the awkward start and the roller coaster of emotions on everyone's part, it was a wonderful day. And if you look real close in this picture you can see some hearts healing.
This year is a grandmother's jackpot. I have three daughters who are each having a daughter. Pink is the go to color around here. A few days ago we had a baby shower for Molly and cuteness was everywhere. So if you have enough sons for a basketball team - what do you get with so many girls? (Besides the joy!)
Some summer days get long and even swimming in the pool gets a little boring. What's there to do for fun? I caught Silas and Samuel checking for arm pit hair. Awkward.
Out by the pool there's always a bunch of splashing and jumping and loudness. But when Isabella comes to visit she just cuddles quietly in my arms so I can adore her.
Yesterday began summer camp for our oldest five and after a day of them being going I realize the impact.
*It is so so so much quieter here!.
*They eat a lot of food.
*I'm actually asleep before midnight with them away.
*It stinks doing all the house work yourself.
*They make up a large majority of my hugs and kisses each day.
I admit it - I miss them already but praying that they each come home refreshed, having heard from the Lord.
One of my favorite kids ever has come to stay with us for the week. (I only had to beg her mom a little.) She walked into the house and started telling me all the things she remembered from when she lived with us and was silly- happy to find some of her art work still on the walls. Gabby is smart and beautiful and her family is one of the few success stories in our foster care journey. Her mom not only redeemed a tough situation that she found herself in, but has been gracious enough to allow us to continue to be in her kids' lives. Don't you love a happy ending?!
My daughter lives right (I mean our yards touch and there's a path worn between) next door. Her five kids and my kids, who are the same ages and best friends (yes that would be their aunts and uncles) want to have sleepovers every single night. Kirsten and I have valiantly tried to put some sanity into the requests with "one a week" or "not if you act crabby" rules, but it all seems to get out of control. And because they're soon moving to Florida it gets harder and harder to say no. Kirsten's kids most often want to sleep here as she feeds them healthy (boring/disgusting) cereal and I buy cereal according to their color. Fruity Pebbles pleases everyone and Lucky Charms is off the charts pretty.
And of course, no one sleeps until the next day when they quietly slip away for a short nap.
I'm going to miss all this.
We stood at the river bank last night as my daughter and her husband baptized all five of their kids. One by one, each of them told what they knew about Jesus and how they wanted to follow after Him.
Four generations of our family were there to celebrate, each having carefully taught their children about our amazing God.
But from everlasting to everlasting
the LORD’s love is with those who fear him,
and his righteousness with their children’s children—
Psalm 103:17
Isabella, our newest granddaughter, invited some of the men in her life over yesterday. Her four uncles and her Poppa decided that she was the most adorable baby ever.
Her Aunt Grace and I already knew she was. We held and kissed her and told her how much she was loved.
Sweetness!
