Of Course We Miss Them!

I just got back home from spending a couple of days hanging out with my grands.  Our daughter sent me a text on Monday asking me if I could stay a couple of days when I took Lucy back from her summer dance class on Monday. 

And of course ... I could not refuse time with the little ones. These two have my heart and I love spending time with them.

 

 

Grandparents may see it even more than parents, but these little ones are growing up fast! It seems like we blink ... and then they're climbing trees and doing cartwheels.  And then we blink again ... and the time on the clock keeps ticking.

 

And so, Dan & I have been asked many times if we miss our grands not living with us (because they had lived with us until last summer when they got their housing straightened out on the military post).

 

And, our answer is

 

of course we miss them!

 

It's been just as much of an adjustment on us as it has been for the four of them.  All of them have always lived with us due to military assignments, so this is the first year that Dan & I have even been "semi" empty-nesters.  However, there's several aspects that we all hold on to that is fitting and works for all of us.  Granted, not everyone has our family circumstances, so I'm just writing this post from mine & Dan's perspective.

 

And perhaps the #1 aspect we keep in mind is this:

 

the four of them really need to experience the "military life" on post during this period of Michael's medical treatments & ultimate medical retirement.  I'm only going to touch on the "if he hadn't been wounded" very briefly ... their family would have been moving throughout the next 15 years or more (pre-explosion).  The military life would have taken them to various assignments and different parts of the world. So, for the time they spend just a couple of hours away from us and still coming to our house for visits & activities ...
 we know their family needs their own home.

My verses that I cling onto for ALL of "our kids" ...

 Jeremiah 29:11 --
"For I know the plans that I have for you" declares the Lord "plans to prosper you and not to harm you,
plans to give you hope and a future"

Romans 8:28 --
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God,
to those who are called according to His purpose

We miss all of our kids ...
but they are being molded and shaped by the One who knows what His plans are for each of them.  And each day brings them further into His plan and His will.
And as I write this post, they are all in the Emergency Room with Michael.  He has had shrapnel surfacing and is being treated for an infection in his leg.  Apparently he had some complications after I left today, and now is at the ER.

 

Yesterday evening the USO hosted a BBQ on post.  Lucy & Tag got to meet

Miss District of Columbia!  She told them that she was an "Army brat" too (using the term "brat" very respectfully) ... I think all 3 of them felt the connection!

 

 

... and of course, there was cake!

 

One thing for sure ...

whether we see these little ones every day or every week --

 

that second hand on the clock just keeps ticking away