The Shift

Another shift has taken place in our house. Amazingly, it's not what you think it is. Yes, K is married. Yes, she will be moving with her husband in a little over a month. Yes, I am sad about that. However, that isn't the shift. The shift is that I love her husband. I didn't expect to. Didn't expect to have my heart take him in so quickly.

It hurt to see him leave this morning, going so far away to his new home. I wasn't expecting to cry...but I did. It's a good shift.

And even though I still get jealous of the minutes with our girl, I am so very glad that God opened my heart so much to the Kid. I know that he will take care of her...and she'll take care of him.

Sometimes the shifting hurts. When I start thinking about her moving away, I start to wonder about filling the K sized hole in our family. I know I'll look for her, call for her and get mad when she doesn't answer. There's always a mourning period when on of the girls begins her life.....no matter how happy I am for her. I think, sometimes, it's just not fair.

God doesn't call us to attach so much that we forget to let Him work. He calls us to trust Him. To believe His word and trust in His promises. He opens our hearts and our eyes. I believe we fall so in love with the blessings He gives us that we forget they are really His. And when we have these beloved ones, no one tells us that time speeds up and that eventually, they will find their own lives. We see them as tiny and helpless. Then, one day, they're not.

The K sized hole in our household will fill. It's not that we won't realize she's gone, it's that a routine will begin....things will head towards normal. She'll have the adventure of figuring out how to fold her towels, how her husband likes his breakfast and where the furniture fits best. She'll have a multi-person "hole" in her life, but her heart will be full. She'll realize the chaos of her childhood has disappeared....she'll mourn too. Her husband will love her well...give comfort when she's sad, laughter when she's crying. I've realized that the shift isn't one sided. I always kind of figured that they were 'Woo-Hooing' on the inside, glad to escape the crazy of our household. Guess what! That's not true.

Our lives will look different. The shift doesn't cause an end. It causes a new beginning, an adventure yet to unfold.

I can look forward to late night phone calls, exciting visits to new places and lots of pictures. I can look forward to them visiting us and watching as their marriage grows stronger. I can look forward to seeing how God will move in their lives and hearts. This shift is good.


P.S.

I can look forward to aqua eyed grandchildren...maybe TRIPLETS! Wouldn't that be fun?? ;)