In Our Hearts While We're Apart...

Being a parent is the highest calling in my life. It brings the greatest joys while also pulling on my heart in the deepest capacities I've ever known. To love my children more than life itself means that my entire world has changed with motherhood. Of course, I still have personal dreams, goals and individuality...to some degree. :) But I would trade it all in a moment...for my children. Today is no exception.

Our daughter just drove off to return to the university campus. It was a special weekend for we celebrated her birthday a little early. Tomorrow will be the first official birthday we will spend "apart" and yet I knew it would someday happen. But my heart throbs for who knew that the years would pass so very quickly? Who knew that the little baby girl I held for the first time twenty years ago would grow up so rapidly and move on to college while we see less and less of her at home? We will wait by the phone until we know she is back on campus safely...and we'll miss her terribly every moment yet rejoice in her endeavors, her life and her purpose. And each phone call, text message, email or word from her will be held in our hearts as we love her yet watch her soar as a young adult.

Our son just drove away for a quick trip to the store. He will return in just a little while and I will breathe a sigh of relief that he is safely back home. Yet all too soon, he will also drive off to college in another year or two...and we'll once again adjust to the shocking reality that our babies have become adults and our parenting roles have changed dramatically. It seems like only yesterday they were both in car seats anticipating the newest kid's meal toys as we made our Friday night trips to the local burger drive-through. One night I specifically remember them telling me what they wanted to be "when they grow up" and we spent a few minutes dreaming of all their options. Our daughter eventually stopped and said "Mommy, what do you want to do when you grow up? What do you dream about doing?" Without any hesitation, I responded "I'm living my dream, sweetie. It just doesn't get any better than this! I'm living it right now."

Now as one drives back to the university and one drives to the store, I think about how we've given them roots...and are learning to give them wings. I realize that my heart never ceases to learn new depths of loving them. I'm learning to love them when they're near and love them in my heart when we're apart. It's not easy...but it's a new step in our journey of life.

We are also in a season of life where we love another precious child who has not quite yet made it home for the first time. Instead of loving her at home and then loving her from a distance, we have loved her from a distance originally and long to bring her home more each day. We know our little Jenna Elizabeth ("JennaBeth")...and possibly our Emma Katherine ("EmmaKate")...live far away in miles. But our hearts certainly hold a very deep love for our baby girl/s that cannot be shaken by time or distance. So we wait...and we love...and we pray...and we learn more and more about parenting whether our children are in our arms...or in our hearts while we're apart. Nothing can separate us from the love we hold for each of them!

So happy birthday, Rachel. And drive home safely, Micah. And hold on, baby girl/s, as we wait for the day we meet you for the very first time and bring you home. May all of you remember that you're never alone and you're never without our love...in our arms...or in our hearts while we're apart! I love you always....Mom.
Cherishing the journey of parenthood,
Terri