Twenty-Two

My baby girl turned twenty-two yesterday.  I just don't know where the time is going.  Everything is whizzing by so fast. 

Just one year ago I was boggled that she had turned twenty-one, but she was still living at home.  She wasn't dating anyone.  Both her brothers were living at home.  For me, it was bliss. 

Jacob had recently received his mission call, and we were talking about Sarah moving to Mesa in a year or so to attend college, but it was just talk then.  I really couldn't wrap my brain around the fact that one day all three of my children would no longer be safely gathered under my roof each night 

Ed baked Sarah's cake and I decorated it.  Twenty-two candles!

It's reality now.  Sarah met the man of her dreams and is happily married.  Jacob is living the missionary life in northern California.  Poor Dylan now gets way more parental attention than he cares for.

Dylan and Chris wait for Sarah to blow out her candles.

Nonetheless, I am very blessed.  Jacob is growing so much on his mission, and he writes every week without fail.  Dylan is a 5'11" tall 14-year-old who still loves to give me rib-cracking bear hugs and cuddle with me when we watch TV together. 

And Sarah still likes to spend time with her mom.  In fact, she and her friend Brandy invited me to see a movie at the theater with them tonight.  (We're both husband-less tonight, since Ed and Chris decided to spend the night at Chris's remote mountain cabin, to winterize the cabin and check out the elk and wild-turkey hunting prospects in the area.)

So I'm a lucky mom.  My kids may be moving on in their lives, but they haven't entirely left me behind!