My Life as a COMMA!

This month is a doozie for me and my family! So many things…good and bad….and just a bit overwhelming at times!

This month is filled with birthdays and anniversaries of ones I love….

My sweet hubby’s birthday, his sister’s birthday, my grandmother’s birthday, brother-in-law’s birthday, best friend’s birthday, another sweet friend’s birthday….my parents’ anniversary, the anniversary of when my grandmother passed, the anniversary of my boys’ death, the anniversary of my friend’s baby’s “gotcha” day…..just a lot going on.

In the midst of this month….and all that is happening…there is also the busy, normal, every day life stuff going on. 

My sweet boy decided to add to that a bit…and schedule a college visit. We went a couple days ago. The college he wishes to attend just happens to be in my old stomping grounds! But man…has that town changed! There is so much familiarity…yet it is so different all at the same time…..kinda like my life!! 🙂 

We walked through the campus….sat with the admissions counselor…..asked questions….asked more questions….and all the while I kept looking over at this nearly-man child….and wondering…where has the time gone? How did we get from him being such a little chunky monkey to him looking like the young man he is now? How am I sitting here…with a college admissions counselor….thinking of handing over my baby to the world….and not having him under my protective wing any more? How did my reality turn into this? 

As I watched him walk in front of me…with our guide…talking with her and asking questions…I realized this is a symbol of this part of my life right now. He is in front of me….walking away from the protection of my nest…growing ever-so-close to adulthood and stepping out on his own. This is the picture in my heart…as I wrestle, once again, with God, over letting go of this precious boy…..of trusting him…his heart…his LIFE…to the very One who created Him…who loved him FIRST…who has plans for him beyond my comprehension…and who will protect him and guide him on the path HE has set before him. Will it be easy? ABSOLUTELY NOT!!  But at the same time…what I’m reminded of…is he will not be walking away from my love. He will never be so far away that I can’t be there for him…if he wants me to be…and I will never stop praying for him…and for his heart… This new reality won’t happen for over a year….but I thank God He gave me this glimpse…this moment…to see and begin to prepare my heart…for what is to come. The harsh reality is…that….this is a part of life I’ve never experienced before…as a mother. To release my child into adulthood…into the world…and away from the facade I’ve created in my mind….of being his protector. Oh Lord…you are his protector, provider and the One who will guide him! I release him…daily…to You. I trust you completely….with his life…with his heart…with his future. I know he will seek You and your will for his path…..and whatever he may do…or be…as long as it is with You…is more than okay with this momma!

Then…this month…there is also the harsh reality of it being 20 years…since I’ve seen my three sweet boys on this earth. My family and I have been discussing this for a while now…and wanted to do something different…something special. Then, this week snuck up on us and we realized it is here…and so we decided to do a balloon release…and include all of our friends, family and supporters! We chose pics and I created a little flyer/invite for all of us to share. 

Now, I have known this was coming…and we’ve been talking about it.. A LOT. But…let me just tell you…seeing it…writing it…to share…somehow made the reality of it…even more real. It hit me like a ton of bricks. The reality…of seeing their sweet smiles…of them being stuck in my mind at 11, 10 and 8…and watching my son and the milestones he is hitting…just jumped out of nowhere and knocked me back…quite a bit. 

This is the flyer I shared. These are the pics I chose. There were so many I could have chosen…so many to share…. But in reality…it was the same photos I’ve always had to go through….nothing new…nothing past those ages. Nothing. No new pics….because there was no more life for them to live. There was no middle school….no high school…no college. No marriages and no babies. That…is the harsh reality. And you know what….???? It sucks. And yes…I could stay here and be all mad and frustrated and angry and even be justified in staying in that place….but……

It won’t help. It isn’t who they were…and it isn’t who I want to be. We are not victims of this situation and I …for some reason…am still here…breathing….choosing…living. So….

Instead I choose to remember the lives they lived in those 11, 10 and 8 years! I choose to remember the smiles…the silliness…the absurdities…the songs…the laughter…the fights…the wrestling…the playing…the crying…..the sports….the shenanigans….the constant eating…the friends…the athletes…the joy….the love….and the life each of my boys had in their time with us on this earth. I will choose to honor them…with the life I still have. I will choose to share their story…with those who don’t know it. I will choose to point others to Jesus…because that is what they would want…. I will choose to honor them…with not staying down..but instead getting up…each and every time … no matter what. I will choose to allow the holes they left in my heart…never to be filled with anger, bitterness or unforgiveness…never to try to fill those same holes with anything or anyone else….but instead I’ll choose to allow those same holes…to expand the capacity of my heart to love…to empathize…to allow more in….and to increase my territory. I will choose to allow their story to be my story…..and to use it to glorify the God they now abide with. I will allow God to be my all…my strength…to carry me when I feel weak…to be my all and my Lord…so I can walk not only with Him for eternity…but with my boys for eternity. I will choose joy…through the suffering and hurt…allowing perseverance to build my strength so I can be strong for others! 

All I ask of you….is to know these truths. The reality is….life is hard. We are never promised happiness or even tomorrow. But…we are promised an eternity with our Creator….if we choose to believe He sent His son for us….to die for what we deserved…and to take our place. If we confess Him as our Lord and Saviour…He will, He has…atoned for our sins…and prepares a place for us in Heaven. The next truth is….He has given us His power and strength. You see, I’m not strong…at all… But..in…and through my Lord…I’ve allowed His strength to carry me…to hold me….to heal me…and in return…He has made me powerful.  I have power in my choices….not to be a victim…but a victor. In my chooses to go on….I have power. The power to choose to live…and not to just exist. The choice to continue to love…and not just focus on the love I’ve lost. The power to go on….is a choice. I am powerful. You are powerful. Please…please…honor my boys with your choices. Choose Him.  Choose love. Choose…to walk His path…and follow Him.

If you are able…you are welcome to be with us Wednesday afternoon. If you aren’t…we ask for your thoughts and prayers as we lift our hearts and release balloons heavenward…. 

Reality is….there is hope…and joy…and love in this hurting world. Your power…is choosing to see it. And…if you don’t see it…to seek it out. My prayer is …. you’ll choose to be powerful! 

all my love! ~c