Today is the 9th birthday of our granddaughter, Piper Elizabeth Rain Gooch. Blink of an eye.
How did our three beautiful daughters Heather, Eden, and Leah grow up so fast? How are their kids?
Piper is beautiful, smart, sweet, creative, and funny. To my shock, when she was born, Eden and her former husband Craig named her middle name, “Elizabeth,” after my formal name and one of Craig’s relatives by the same name. I was so blessed and honored by this!
Eden announced it when she and Craig came over to our house and gave me a mason jar with a red rose (I love roses!) inside it, and her baby’s name written on the inside of the jar lid. I cried!
This week I’ve seen several Facebook acquaintances post pictures of their grown child’s college dorm room (his or her first year there). As I’ve looked at the faces of the parents and their now adult child who has “flown the nest,” I see their pride in their child, joy about this new big step, but also sadness in the parents’ eyes. I totally relate to this. Empty nest is hard!
Ray and I have three beautiful daughters, Heather, Eden, and Leah. When each of our daughters moved out, I grieved deeply. Heather was first, marrying young. For months, I cried! Heather and I had always been very close. We are not only mother and daughter, but close friends.
Definitely a Type A personality, Heather is determined and driven. She stays busy. She works hard full-time at Quik Trip convenience store, and has a “side hustle” t-shirt business with her fiance Andy’s teen daughter, Kelsey, called “Unique Clothing.” You can find info here on Facebook.
Eden moved out in her late teens and married young, too, soon after that. Eden is my stepdaughter (but I call her my “bonus” daughter and she calls me “mom”); we had a LOT of problems getting along when she came to live with Ray and me as a teen. When she moved out, I cried over the intense difficulties that we had in our relationship and how hard it was on both of us (and my marriage to Ray).
I’m happy to say that God has done a healing work in our relationship and we get along much better now! One of my fave things to do is to bring hot, creamy coffee over to Eden’s house for me and her to enjoy and for us to chat. I love Eden’s “mom bun.”
Eden is teaching 3rd grade at a Christian school this year (which her four children are also attending, praise God!) and also works weekends at a local store. She’s very excited about the teaching job, and I’m so happy for her and the kids!
Our daughter Leah moved out of our house in her 20’s. It was very hard on me to let our “baby” go. The reality of “Empty Nest” hit me hard, and I again cried for a long time. She has returned home temporarily a couple of times, once when the rental house where she was living flooded in the basement after heavy rain, and another time when she fell on winter snow and ice, and her ankle broke with a spiral fracture (she had to have surgery for it). Jesus healed her ankle; praise You, Lord!
“Letting go of our children is the most sacrificial way we can love them. Make no mistake, to hold on too tight and too long clips their wings and makes it harder for them to fly. To soar.” –Robin Dance
Leah has now lived several years on her own in a studio apartment with her two adorable, sweet cats, Jax and Astrid. She works hard too at a printing company in Kansas (commuting during the week, bur works 2 days from home and on bad weather days). She’s also an amazing talented artist and violinist.
Leah also stays busy with her friends, her violin lessons, her Japanese and Spanish language lessons with a friend (she and her friends recently traveled two weeks to Japan), and doing fun things.
Ray and I have six grandkids, from ages 4 to 20: Annabelle and Violet (Heather’s girls); and Asher, Willow, Piper, and Jacob (Eden’s kids). They too are growing up SO fast! How does this happen?
The Bible tells us this in James 4:14: “You do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.”
Yes, it is definitely a blink of the eye.
Over the last 10 days, my husband Ray traveled with our daughter Heather, her fiance Andy, his 3 kids, and his nephew Clayton from Missouri to Panama City beach, Florida. While there, they also drove to Destin beach, Florida (my fave beach) They had an amazing time, staying at a gorgeous condo. I’m so happy they were able to relax and have fun as they all work hard and deserved it. (I hope to go back to Destin beach this year sometime!). Heather said it was a great trip. They are driving on their way home now.
Love and hug your family. Tell them, “I love you.” Spend time with them. Forgive. Do fun things. Celebrate life.
Let’s love God, love our family and our friends, and enjoy the journey as each moment comes.
