Last Friday was our oldest son Micah’s 16th birthday. Trish took him to get his license, and then I drove his car to Chili’s to meet them for lunch. After lunch, he and the boys jumped in his car and he drove them back to our house. Trish and I followed in the van, crying along the way.
I snapped this picture right before they drove off.
When we got home, we started getting ready for his party and Trisha and I pulled out some old pics and we came across this pic from his 1st birthday.
No one prepares you for letting go. In fact, it is just the opposite. The older your kids get the more attached you get to them. There is no way I could have imagined that the little guy on this four wheeler would so quickly become the young man driving off in his car.
I wish I could freeze time. I wish I could go back and have the time of each day from his first birthday to his 16th birthday go half as fast. But there is no going back. There is only letting go.
Letting go isn’t a bad thing. It is a natural thing. But it sucks. Elijah will be driving in two years and Micah will be in his last year of high school. (SUCKS!)
We are cherishing every moment with our boys. We are more sentimental. We tell more stories. We say, “Remember that time” more than we ever have. We are determined to make as many memories as possible before their childhood passes us by.
Our encouragement to you that are parents: Enjoy the stage of life your kids are in right now.
Don’t wish away time.
It is hard when they are in diapers not to wish they were out of diapers. It is hard when they are not sleeping through the night not to wish you could just get to the next stage of life. It is hard when they aren’t in school to wish you could have a break by sending them to class.
It is hard to live in the now and not wish for what’s next.
Soon, you will be wishing for what used to be.
Cherish every, single, moment. One day, they will move from the four wheeler to the driver’s seat. That is a tough day.
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