Embracing the Chaos

Come August, we’ll move our daughter to Philadelphia to pursue her master’s degree. Come next May, our son will graduate from college and be on to either a job or more schooling. And while our “baby” will be around some for a couple of summers after that, it is not lost on me that this will almost certainly be the last time the five of us will live together under one roof. And so I’ve chosen to embrace the chaos.

That isn’t my norm. I generally fight the chaos of summer. And it has been four years since our summer chaos has included all three kids–or rather, young adults! But I want this summer to end without regrets. I want to feel like I’ve finished well with my children, especially since I didn’t start well–and the middle was quite iffy, too. But God has been good He’s bestowed grace. He’s worked redemption. I look at my amazing, grownup kids and feel only gratitude that my mistakes, my weaknesses, my sins haven’t turned them from following Jesus, scarred them beyond repair, or caused them to shun a real relationship with me. They are people I genuinely enjoy spending time with. There is no better gift than that.

So while I’ll be continue to be online during the next few months, if I’m suddenly silent, you’ll know why: I’m seizing the moment, spending time with my kids, solidifying those relationships to the point that they’ll stay strong through distance and time as my kids pursue their own dreams and adventures, as they find their mates and establish families of their own. We’re ready to finally, finally have a truly empty nest, but we don’t want to rush ahead and miss this last little bit.