Fall Break and Reflection

I have been beside myself for the past two days now.  My two college kids come home tomorrow for their fall break and I never thought it would get here.  Jessica gets to come home every other weekend or so but it seems like before we turn around a few times it's Sunday afternoon and she's headed back.  Stephen hasn't been home in forever because of baseball.  We have had a few glimpses of him here and there after games but that's not nearly enough for this mama.  Hate to think he won't get back home til Christmas.  I'm so proud of both of them though.  They have adjusted well, classes are good, and working hard at cheerleading and baseball.  They stay so busy and I guess that's a good thing.  I miss them both terribly and tremendously thankful that we had that 4th child or don't know what I would do having given up one to marriage and 2 to college all in one month.  John Michael is probably tired of all my attention focused solely on him.  He will probably be grateful to share the attention for a few days.
Just an encouragement to you moms younger than myself...ENJOY every single moment that they are home.  The day they take off comes so fast even if the days seem long when they are little and you think you will never have quiet again...you will and it comes sooner than you can imagine.  I was a full time stay at home mom with 4 under the age of 6 at one time and wouldn't have had it any other way.  I spent most days with them under my feet, wrapped around my legs, in my arms or sitting on my lap.  It was an ordeal to ever get to the grocery store or even go to the bathroom for that matter.  However, I wouldn't trade a single second of it!!  That was my calling just as much as the call to ministry was. I knew that was exactly where God wanted me to be as sure as I knew of His love and my own salvation.  That doesn't mean every day was cupcakes and sing-a-longs.  Some days were long and the only people I talked to were preschoolers, my own.  This isn't meant to make anyone dread them growing up because honestly I have loved every stage of their life, YES even the teenage years.  It's been one great adventure and most days we have laughed harder than we've cried.  I love where I am in my life now but there's no doubt that if I could do it all over again with those same youngins and my dear man I would live it all over again.
When I sat down to blog this, I did not intend to go in this direction.  Oh well, enough said.  Just ready to get those kids home and a little bit more commotion in this house.  I'm ready for the noise level to go up just a bit. I will tolerate the noise because they are going to have to tolerate me hugging and kissing on them, asking them 100 questions wanting details of course about everything and everyone they have seen, talked to. or encountered over the past weeks.  I'm sure there will be plenty of laughter, yelling at ball games, and yes tears (my own of course) when it comes to a close.
Pray a super blessed weekend on everyone.  Enjoy your family time but don't neglect your Jesus time either.  He is, by the way, the giver of all the good things and people we enjoy.  Where would my life be without Him?  I shudder to even think.