twenty

 It's a not so comfortable 102 degrees here in AZ today, and I'm just sitting here eating chocolate chips (the only sugar I could find in the house), and thinking about life. This past Monday, when most people were enjoying the labor day holiday, I was thinking back to a labor day twenty years ago.  A labor day when I was actually in labor with our oldest child, Sadie Lauren. And I swear, two minutes after Sadie was born, the look in her blue eyes said something like this,  "Well hello world, here I am!  Let's go!" And that's how she's lived her life so far.  All twenty years.  

A few weeks ago, Sadie mentioned that she's considering going back to BYU in the summer, six weeks after returning from her mission.  And all of the sudden it hit me all over again, she is never really coming home.  At least not to stay.  And yes, I know that's the way it's supposed to be, and yes, that's the way that I want it because it's right, and healthy, and good.   But,  it still hurts sometimes.

Thank you Amy (a church member from Texas)  for the pic and the love!

In the book, "Tuesdays with Morrie",  Morrie Schwartz ( a man battling als) talks about being a parent,

 

"Whenever people ask me about having children or not having children, I never tell them what to do,   I simple say, there is no experience like having children. That's all.  There is no substitute for it.  …If you want the experience of having complete responsibility for another human being, and to learn how to love an bond in the the deepest way, then you should have children."

If you've never read this book, do. It's wisdom and love is a beautiful package. And I think Morrie just nailed the whole parent thing. 

Happy Birthday to my Sadie Lauren.  Love in the deepest way.