Milestones

Birthdays, graduations, weddings--all milestones in the lives of individuals and in the lives of families.

This week is filled with milestones in our family. My youngest daughter is turning twenty. My middle daughter is celebrating her first wedding anniversary, and me, I am celebrating "I am no longer the mom of a teenager."

For twenty years now Mr. Jorie and I have been parenting teenagers. We survived, as did all four of our kids.

Yes, they all turned out very well--at least from this impartial mother's eyes. But there were moments. I thought of listing some of the most harrowing, but decided that a walk down that memory lane might be just a little too much for these wobbly legs of mine.

I can say that there were times I thought I could not take the teenage angst being demonstrated in so many ways. I did not like the uncertainty of not knowing when young emotions might erupt without notice. I worried at times and advised at times. I cried at times and listened at times. Patience-- all parents know about patience--I hoped I had it when I needed it. Wisdom--well, once again as all parents know--I hoped I had it every second of every day.

When I look back at the teenage years I walked with each of my four children, it is with a deep satisfaction of knowing that we walked the walk together. Mom, dad and growing, changing teen all together, day by day, meeting life head on.

As much as I believe in the importance of the first five years of life being integral in molding and making each person into the unique individual they will become, I also believe that those years from 13 to 20 complete the process. I am happy and deeply satisfied to have been an integral part of that process for my four.

Gladly celebrating my milestone this week, I breathe a sigh of relief and thank the Lord for seeing my through. I am grateful for how much I have grown through the process, and most grateful for the high honor God entrusted me with--when He presented me with four little souls to raise and to guide and to love forever (even through those teenage years.)

Isn't life grand! Isn't God good!