Braces!

Really though - a truly thoughtful question -- Where does time go? What I mean is yucky stuff on plates goes down the disposal, garbage goes to dumpsters, recyclables go to the recycle plant, old clothes to Goodwill or Other Mother, snow melts, rain waters our gardens, leaves that fall become compost...but time, where does it go? An interesting thought for me today....

Because today.....Caleb got braces! On the way to the orthodontist I asked him if he was nervous and he says, "NO! I am excited!", practically bouncing out of his seat in the back of our blue mini-van. I said, "Well I'm nervous!" He asked why and I proceeded to remind him that just a short, short time ago he was BORN; like came outta my belly and fit in the palm of Ben's hand, born. And now I am driving him to get braces. And to add to the mess of "grown-up-ness" he got an ipod AND a fish for Christmas and he looked at me and smiled so big on the 25th and said, "I must be growing up and you trust me." And I almost melted on the floor right there, because seriously, where does time go? How is it that a 4lb, 14oz preemie can grow into a pre-teen young man, getting braces and pets to take care of? How is it that the time between the hospital and the orthodontist can seem so short? How does time fly? And where does it go?

All I can say is this... "Oh God, dear God, I pray that my daily investment in these little tiny beings that you have entrusted to me will lead them down a path to you. Please help me invest my time wisely and for Your glory." Some one told me once...back when the babies were almost 4 and 5 pounds...that the days of raising kids would be long but the years short. Oh how right you were wise woman. Gonna go hug those crazy-fast growing kids...