I had one of those moments last night. You know, the kind that usually come from out of nowhere, blindsiding you, sort of. The good kind of blindsiding where, once you’ve had the thought, you’re left feeling all warm and fuzzy inside.
It was Thirsty Third Thursday (TTT). Amy and kids are home from their summer in Virginia, so she was able to rejoin he fun.
Anyway, back to the “moment”…
I was sitting in the back seat of Amy’s big-ass SUV (which she needs to transport three kids around safely and comfortably). Amy was driving. Shannon was in the passenger seat beside her.
The two were chatting happily away about Blogs they like. Talking about these people like they know them. I made a mental note at that very moment (not THE moment, which I’ll get to eventually), to check some of them out. I only made it through Woulda Coulda Shoulda and Navel Gazing at Its Finest which led to The NieNie Dialogues which led to C Jane Run (yes, I cried), before I realized time was short, I hadn’t posted to my blog yet, AND I have work to do.
Back to last night…
We’d just had a nice little dinner and a few beers (it was TTT, remember) and were on our way back to Amy’s house. They were chatting away about mundane stuff like blogs and the bloggers that they “Internet-know” (a new term I read on one of said blogs and loved), the prices of gas in MD vs PA vs VA, the different brands of blotting paper they use and which is the best/cheapest (I never knew there was such a thing).
That’s when the “moment” hit. The big realization that my oldest kids, who really are far from being kids any more, have turned into beautiful, happy, healthy young women. And these kids who were “born” to me when they were about 15 and 12–and I was younger than Amy is now!–have grown to mean far more to me than I would have ever imagined possible back then.
I mean, those aren’t the best years in any girl’s life, are they? Adolescence, that is. Imagine us all being thrown together, and me having to act all parental to teenagers when I was barely more than a baby myself (I see that NOW, of course). The ride wasn’t always a smooth one. I knew NOTHING about parenting kids older than 3 (Eric’s age), much less GIRL children on the edge of adolescence.
Now, in what almost seems like the blink of an eye, fifteen years have passed. That’s when it hit me, how lucky I am to have such amazing daughters who have also become my very good friends. (Not to mention 2 of the 4 regular readers of this inane little blog.)
The fact that I didn’t actually birth them makes it even sweeter. They don’t have to like me, after all. I could just be their father’s wife.
That was the moment. It was a good one. I love you both and am very happy to have you in my life!
Well, it’s a good thing that I’m unemployed and just sitting around the house all day. A week ago I would have been sitting around the office reading this and all the guys would have seen me tearing up.
You picked one of my favorite pictures ever of the girls and then tell heart warming stories about them.
Remember this – you helped to mold the girls into the beautiful women that they are and you continue to have a significant influence over them. They ask you how to deal broken hearts and they ask me how to fix broken washing machines. (I’m OK with that, I get to stay in my comfort zone.)
I know that I tell you frequently that I love you. I don’t always get to tell you why. Your relationship with the girls is one of the reasons.
ly,
Okay, I’m laughing through tears over here. Dad had me cracking up with his how to fix broken washing machines comment.
I think it’s pretty cool that we’ve all morphed into being friends. Like you said, none of us have to like each other. Everything Dad said is totally true – he started the molding, but you helped him continue it.
I love you! (Is it love Friday around here, or what? 🙂 )
That picture is one of my favorites, too, by the way.