HAVING BABIES AND BEYOND....

When we all, as loving couples, decide that we want to have children, pass it all along, so to speak, we were NEVER told about the moving issues we will be faced with 17 or 18 years down the road once they consider themselves adults.

We get these new, sweet, babies who need our love, care, body-parts, etc. We are so excited, proud, honored to have these new additions to our "couple" - to show off in pictures, to others, etc

We weren't told, in exact words, that at some point they will want to get the hell away from you.

At the same time they want you to stay in contact, just stay away, but still in contact, but away.... College is a nice way to explain it to our friends. Or, if not college, it's that they moved to Borneo to work with tribal children, or they're going to work with the Red Cross, or they want to find their own way, or explore their other options, or they want to be a lifeguard for a while longer, or they just want to work in a bar (which is my favorite reason because I certainly want to know that there are bartenders still out there!).

Whatever the reason, they will eventually want to get the hell away from you.
The thing is - by "that time" you really want them to get the hell away from you also.

But, we parents still do everything we can to help our kids.

We experienced our daughter's 7th move in 6 years today.

It was a parent's proud moment, or actually a MOM's moment since husband wasn't helping at all and hasn't helped in the last 3 moves, god love him - it's just not his thing.

Daughter even talked mom into trimming the shrubs out front. At first I said honey I'm not really feeling like yard work today but then she said well they're really in the way mom and I said well just put the hedge trimmer in the car just in case I feel like doing it and then 2 hours later the hedges were trimmed. SCHMUCK ON MY FORHEAD!

Back to husband - when you get married everything is a partnership, right. Husband does a really great job with the behind the scenes stuff, like sending a guy to hang ceiling fans and check the microwave plug, and making sure they remember what the lock on the door is for. And, like going to the College World Series last June while I moved daughter home from Illinois. He's good at the behind the scenes stuff.
He's never really been into packing/loading/unpacking boxes. (I think that should be a check-box on the marriage application - yes I will pack boxes, nope not packin').

So, all of you young moms and dads out there, just know that it doesn't end until they are on their 5th, 6th, or 7th move, (or beyond, please god don't let there be too many more!)

We've moved the same furniture many times to many places. Daughter is a smart, loving, intelligent, young woman, and is with her BFF's in a cute little house tonight, with the doors and windows wide open, probably cars unlocked (might as well have a sign out front that says "hey if I don't know you come on in!) eating Dan's Burgers, and watching reruns of Dexter. We stopped by on our way home tonight and they were happy. Boxes everywhere but they were watching tv and happy.

I'm tearing up right now! YIKES!! We parents do everything within our power to make sure our kids are happy. Just like when we filled party favor bags 5 minutes before 35 5-year-olds showed up.

I'm pretty satisfied with my parenting skills tonight.

Moms, give me an Amen!