Life changes fast when your children are only a year apart. You have two babies and then you have none. You live at the grade school and then you never go back. Two high school students consume your life and then the house is empty.
Austin turned 18 in March of 2011 and met his birth family and graduated and moved out and became a crab fisherman. He had a string of different girlfriends and every time I got to know one, she was gone – but now he has been with Trisha for over a year and he seems happier than I have ever seen him. He is off the boat and working with handicapped adults and is so kind I am very proud.
Emerson and Lula became a rock solid couple and graduated high school together, then moved to Santa Cruz and finished the first year of the program to become Math teachers, and then Daisy arrived and we are grandparents and falling in love all over again.
Suddenly the boys are men, and unlike the teens I knew, are full of smiles and laughter and easy hugs. Now I am dong other things than being a Mom, but being a Mom was the biggest joy of my life and watching the boys turn men, and my husband and I turn into grandparents has been amazing. Sometimes I feel too lucky, scared that everything I ever had on my bucket list has been accomplished so what comes next? I knew I needed new goals, “me goals” or I would turn reclusive and never be able to pry myself out of the house.
Beautiful collage, beautiful story, I empathise as another of my boys has left home this month to go to uni, life changes so much, and sudenly even with one still at home, I have time for me. Its damn hard work being a mum, but an honour and a privelage too :)
I truly believe the best reward is knowing all the time and energy we give of ourselves to our children comes back in full when we see how happy they are as adults. I think your writing will be the next generation of children you will touch- and also that beautiful little granddaughter!
