I’m sitting here in the kitchen, “proctoring” the doing of the dishes. Some of our children think that if they just don’t do the job the way they’re told to do it, then they won’t have to do it anymore.

WRONG-O. (Which has been proven time and agian, and yet, they persist. Which earns them the right to do the job again and again for practice!) Anyway…not what the post is about…

Pez was headed down to bed, and Peeps is up here working on the dishes. “I love you, Stinko brother!” he yelled, as he headed to the steps. “Love you too, Pez”, Peeps commented sarcastically.

In that moment, it flashed in my head…seven or so years from now – when they’re 17 and 19…them joking around with each other in the same way. Granted, when they’re in their late teens, I’m sure it will be much more coarse than that exchange – but I totally pictured it. The two of them – almost grown and out – joking with each other….

And my heart stopped.

I know I didn’t give birth to either one of these goofballs, but they are MY boys. Yes, they are their mother’s boys as well, but they are MINE. I have watched them go from pudgy little midgets (Pez was 3 when Zack and I met), to tweens, and I can see them – literally see them – as young men.

I know all to well, from watching Cheesecake evolve into a young woman, how quickly it all goes. It’s LITERALLY in the blink of an eye. Yeah, in the day to day you get bogged down and you don’t see it…but POOF – they’re gone! The babies you cuddled and told stories to and cleaned up barf from and made cookies for and wanted to scream at as they worked your last nerve…they are the most precious gift we are entrusted with from God…and we don’t even realize how quickly the time goes by.

I’m sure one of them will do something in the morning that will sprout even more grey hair on my head, and I will think…”WOULD YOU JUST GROW UP ALREADY!!!!!”….

But for this moment, I can see both the future and the past, and it reminds me how special the right now is.