Time

Do you ever go in and look at your kids after they've been asleep for a while? It's kind of always been my routine to make sure that everyone's covered and safe before I go to bed at night. Tonight when I checked on them I saw something that I hadn't seen before.

My sweet Samantha, who I still see in my mind's eye as 3 years old, in her pink princess dress and click-clack shoes, has grown into this beautiful Second Grader. She has these really long legs, long shiny hair and this grown up little face. She does her own hair, picks out her own outfits, reads her own bedtime stories. Gone is my short, chubby cheeked girl with fire-cracker ponytails.

Across the room from her is Little Mario. Again, in my mind's eye he's 2, dragging around his sippy cup and hiding behind me when anyone dared to talk to him. But tonight I saw a little man, a Kindergartener. Shaggy hair (because it's cool), 2 missing teeth, and slender, tan big boy legs. I know he's grown half a foot since the summer started!

I'm teary-eyed as I post this. Not because I'm sad that they are growing up, I'm just in awe of how quickly it's happening! Thankfully they haven't outgrown chocolate milk before bedtime and snuggle-buggin' with their Momma...yet. They still need their night lights and they aren't horrified when I'm around their friends...yet. They still think that I know almost everything and I can still fix most of their hurts with a kiss and a Band-Aid.

I pray every day and night that Mario & I are equipping them well enough to "make it" outside of these four walls. We pray for their spouses and protection over their hearts. I'm thankful that they have both accepted Christ into their lives. They will never be alone. But, they will keep growing...and I'll probably keep wondering how the time went by so fast!