Yesterday was interesting. We were at my parents’ house, a couple miles away, watching the big game and eating chili and guacamole, having fun. Then, out of nowhere, my daughter and son asked if they could spend the night there, at their grandparents’ house…
Uh…
Now we trust my parents completely with our kiddos. They are sweey, strong believers and are really close to them. This was going to be my kiddos first sleep over. And I’ll be honest, I was not ready for that. When I’m home from work, I like to be with my babies!! But here we were, Saturday afternoon and our kiddos want to spend the night with the grandparents. I’m a softy, we said yes
It was like a 50/50 shot that they would stay there all night. I dropped them off and they had pizza with the grandparents. I came home and it was quiet. It was just me, my lovely wife and our newborn. It was odd. I walked down the hallway, the empty bedrooms dark and silent, knowing that no laughter or voices would come out of those rooms this evening.
They didn’t call, they slept through the night. My lovely wife and I had a great night at home with us and Sophie, our newborn. We were missing our big kids, but we binge watched The Great British Baking Show season 3 and LOVED it!
Of course Soph woke up just before I went in for the kiss before bed (ahem…) 😉 so it wasn’t like this great honeymoon-ish night, but it was fun for us in a way to just be one with our littlest one.
It’s a portent of things to come. I can’t put into words how much I love raising our small kids. But I can feel the winds of change, riding on the horizon. One day they will be teenagers and going to sleepovers and going to college. It’s a ways away, but chronos ticks fast here this side of Heaven. I know God will have to grow me up in this place in my heart, one day he is going to come to me and say, “It’s time.”
I cried last night because I’m a baby haha. But as my babies grow into the young men and women that God is calling them up into, I know the tears will come more frequently. And God will start the process in me of shifting my goals of just playing and enjoying these beautiful children God endowed us with into the goal of helping them into their roles as mature men and women of God, one day starting their own families (if God calls them to a family life, single life is just as good!)
Oh, it’s going to be a tough road for my tender heart, but God’s will be done in my life.
It’s not happening today, thankfully. But one day, I’ll have to take on this big lesson for my heart.
inthedesertwithjesus 
You know what Joel – It really feels great in my heart to know that a man can cry too, because his kids are spending the night away from home…!! Softy or no softy, it’s just comforting 😉 Personally, I would be wailing… but at the same time, I’m kinda looking forward to that day because it means that my little girl has reached a milestone and with her rather troubled life, that would be God’s amazing blessing on both of us. But some blessings are just difficult to swallow, even when you know it’s right. Love and Blessings to you.
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Thanks so much Lene, your words made me smile 🙂 oh I cried! Haha I don’t like being away from my babies! I understand what you’re saying though, her reaching that mile. Some blessings are very hard to take from God. One day, I’ll be a grandpa like my dad, and I’ll only get to see my grandkids once or twice a week (I’m praying for that much!). Oh I don’t want this house ever, ever to be silent of the sound of little feet scooting across for floors, giggles, those cute laughs…oh gosh, I’m tearing up just typing this. Well, I’ll be honest, I hope the end times come before that happens! I just want to freeze everything, cash my chips in, and have the rapture now so i don’t go a day without being with these precious children God has made. Hope you had a great weekend! Blessings friend 🙂
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There’s a time for everything… and Jesus travels the journey with us ;-). Even when you become a grandpa, I have a feeling your house will never be empty of little feet. Where children feel loved, they will want to return to ❤
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I like that a lot Lene 🙂 I’ll admit, I look forward to the day when time will be put under our feet and we can traverse time as our Father does, but until then, I like your perspective. And you’re right, Jesus is with us always!
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