My Annual Post

It seems I post only when something huge happens. This time it was something little. For whatever crazy reason I decided I needed to add one more thing to my plate. I signed up to have a Japanese exchange (nursing) student for about 2 1/2 weeks. No big deal unless you consider I have barely had the time to exhale these past few weeks, visiting daughters that grew up, having my sons wisdom teeth extracted, barely flying in 7 hours in the middle of the night before his appointed time to loose his teeth that have been providing extra measures of wisdom... so in preparation for this student a few things needed to be done.

I decided she will bunk with Nia, literally in the top bunk that Anna used to inhabit. I have to confess since no one has been using that bed (nor did I anticipate anyone sleeping in that top bunk), so I hadn't laundered her sheets, even though she married just a handful of months ago. So since the exchange student will be arriving in oh say 48 hours I thought it would be a prudent thing to do. It was like a trip down memory lane. In addition to numerous very large stuffed animals I found in Anna's bed:

• Her favorite baby blanket with pink edging and tiny pink baby lambs, so worn from washing there is no flannel left on it.
• Her favorite stuffed bunny she has had since she was about 2 feet tall.
• Sponge Bob Square PANTS jersey knit sheets.
  
• Sponge Bob Square PANTS little blanket that traveled with her to all of her races.
• A stuffed animal with a tag on it given to her for her birthday by a boy she once had a crush on.
• The Holly Hobby blanket her Grandma Mary made for her, totally worn as well.

I hugged her little bunny & held her baby blanket & remembered the little girl that was mine & is all grown up, married & graduating from college. I once heard that memories are so that in the December of our lives we can remember the spring roses. Okay so it's not quite the December of my life, I'm guessing more like the summer, but still I also think about the privilege of being home with your children gives you twice as many memories to have when they are all gone.

How I miss my girls that have grown up, it's hard to not cry when you leave them, it seems you leave a little piece of your heart & just hope they know how so very much you love them.