Fun Times as they grow

If there's anything better than being a parent I wish someone would tell me and then you had better have a lot of ammunition to convince me.  I loved it when my babies were actual babies. I loved the toddler stage when they were learning so much.  I even loved and love their teen years.  It's just all good.  Anyone who knows me at all knows the struggle I had when it was time for one to get married in August and in that same month two left for college for the first time.  So thankful to have one still at home but that time is winding down quickly.
There are good things too about seeing them grow up.  I love seeing my married girl enjoying her amazing man and knowing that they are ministering together and expanding the kingdom.  Must say I wish I could see them in action with their students but I know God is doing great things there.  My other girl is enjoying her college experience.  She's growing so much through her life group bible study and made some good friends with strong Christian girls. She's continued her Upward cheerleading coaching in Spartanburg and it's been a blast to watch her cheer for SMC.  She wraps up that season Thursday night.  John will start his junior baseball season with a tournament game this Friday.  He will be on the mound and we are going into this season expecting and hoping for some great things from the Tbreds.
Eddie and I went to Newberry College yesterday.  SMC was going to be there for a double-header and Stephen was getting the start on the mound in the second game.  What an awesome sight!  Seeing my boy in that college uniform making his first college start pitching.  Everything in the world goes through a parent's mind.  It's all kind of in slow motion as the years keep flashing.  I kept seeing him in that gold team Tshirt at Citizens Park at age 9 when he first started pitching.  I saw him in all of those AllStar uniforms representing his city.  I saw him as such a tiny thing in the 7th grade playing for his high school with all those boys towering over him.  I thought of all the travel ball and the boys he played with from 10 years old on and their families that still are a part of our lives.  So much good stuff.  I was so proud of him.  He didn't appear a bit nervous.  I told Eddie when he was throwing long on the field that I just hoped his heart wasn't pounding as hard as mine was.  I'm always amazed at how calm he appears.  The mound has just always been his comfort zone.  He has an amazing way of tuning everything else out and going into this zone.  I know I've headed into the bragging mom area but I was so proud of him.  He's worked so hard to get to this level.  He had a great outing...4 shutout innings, only 2 hits, first pitch strike and his first college W.  We ended up winning 5 to 3 which is the most important thing, the team got the win. My he's a lot bigger now than that 7th grade kid.  Eddie asked me on the way home if I ever thought I would see him play college ball...honestly yes, because I knew he would work as hard as he had to to accomplish that goal.  As hard as it is to see them grow up, there are some good things about it.