Vast Voyage

We're about 2 days out in the deep, deep ocean this week... sailing a High Sea Expedition to explore God's Word... that's right, it's summertime Vacation Bible School. That alone would be worth about 20 posts, one third rants and 2/3 great fun.

We're also about 3 days back from a great family vacation in the semi-wild, to celebrate my mom's 70th birthday (!), which WILL be worth at least one good post.

But we're also a mere 4 days away from my babe turning 2. TWO! Did you blink? Did you miss those 730 days? Because, and this isn't the exhaustion talking, but wasn't I just pregnant? Should I not be wearing maternity bras anymore? What happened to this sweet soul:

Tonight seems like an awful time to write, since it's crammed between VBS, missed deadlines, work backlog from vacation, and birthday preparation thoughts (present? where can I get a natural, fair trade present that he will love... by Saturday? when can I even get out to look?).

But tonight is also the perfect time to write, as it seems that this is (more or less) what motherhood is. Snatching moments of reflection or perfection when they present themselves, no matter what my plan was.

Besides, isn't this where I want Kaden to grow up?

Right between family and nature, friends and God?

And working with the same group of families for the past 4 or 5 years has let me see some of those boys growing up. I am acutely aware, when I see males of any age, that my future will involve some version of "him", however sweet or maddening he is. Someone mentioned that Kaden would "graduate" to the pre-K group next summer, and I was shocked. Then I looked at the adorable little boys, ones I remember being babes, and their joy at learning the story or the song. I can see my son playing on the preK deck next year.

And in the elementary group, I see boys I knew as preschoolers not so long ago. I watch them help younger kids along and run wild down the hall. It's a bit harder to imagine, but it's conceivable that my boy will be one of them someday.

And the ones I met as boys? Who are now entering high school and show up groggy with tousled hair? The ones who have sweet smiles but don't readily show them? The ones who are all heart and muscle and think no one sees just how wonderful they are? the ones who stay in the background and the ones who goof off up front? It's truly impossible for me to imagine my babe becoming... a teen. Or, after that, a man.

I know he will. He is already on the path, just as surely as he finished off 4 servings of green beans tonight. As surely as he's learning the patterns of our favorite phrases, and growing into the next size of shoes. Everyone says to savor these innocent days...

and for once, I think everyone is right.

Happy Birthday to our favorite firstborn boy... may you have many more years of joy, may you grow in wisdom and strength, and may we always be connected by Love.