A Mixed Bag

Parenting is filled with many emotional moments.  There is the joyful birth of the healthy baby, the first smile, the first giggle, the first full night of sleeping more than 3-4 hours, the first "ma-ma" and "da-da", the first birthday, the first steps, and the first successful potty trip to name but a few.

The moments seem to come quickly those first few years then begin to level off with each passing year.  There is the first day of school, some highlights from youth sports, dance classes, school programs, academic accomplishments, church activities, etc.  Then before anyone realizes it, high school graduation has taken place and college is begun.  A happy time -- yes, but it's just one of the next several occasions that bring a mixed bag of emotions for parents.

After dropping off Jaclyn for college and then Elizabeth two years later, it hit me that parenting as I had known it was changing.  What every parent dreams off when their child is at home -- some peace and quiet with time to yourself --  I now had achieved.  But I found it wasn't as grand and glorious as dreamed.  There was the loss of the ability for that daily interaction with them and a deeper knowledge that this was just the beginning. Fortunately, college semesters are only about 4 months long and upon each return daily living would revert to its status quo as had been known before they left.

Then came the next occasion -- their marriages.  Once again an emotion packed event.  Happiness for them in the start of this part of their life but a knowledge now that things were really going to be different.  They were leaving home and the house I came home to daily would reflect that.  Peace and quiet was all that was to be had now.  I had all the time I wanted to myself.  But what I wouldn't give some times to have Jaclyn sleeping on the couch on a Sunday afternoon as I watched football and pull the pillow out from under her, or to come home from work and go wake up Elizabeth from sleeping the day away or pulling off her slipper or sock as she sat on the couch and throw it out the front door.

A third occasion happened just recently with the birth of Lillian Grace.  So happy for Jaclyn and Blake and the healthy yet trying delivery.  A great time visiting them as was mentioned in the previous blog post, but then comes the sad time to leave knowing it will be quite some time before you see the grandbaby again and the changes that will take place during that time you will miss.

It's been asked, Parenting, will it be easy? Nope.  Will it be worth it? Absolutely! Here's to the next many years of the mixed bag of emotions that parenthood will bring Tammy and I.