I am now officially an empty nester. My youngest moved out last week to her very own place. She’s a whole 2 blocks from me and right behind her sister and brother-in-law but she’s on her own. That leaves me in a whole new stage of life.
I look around at all the young moms and their children and wistfully wish that Pinterest had been around when I was their age. Yes, I said it – Pinterest. Bet you didn’t expect that! Never before have there been so many wonderful ideas in one place to build memories for your family. Memories are so very important and the time you spend with your kids is irreplaceable.
My mom died when I was 21 and I have 2 treasures from my Mom. One is a book of poems that she wrote for me and the other is her Bible. I wouldn’t trade either of those items for anything. Both are so very, very special. Because of my losing my mom at such a young age, I decided I would be prepared – I needed something to leave to my 2 girls.
The first thing I did was buy a blank journal book for each of them. I am no poet, but every year I simply sit down and write a letter to each girl. I recap their year and give my thoughts on the events in their lives. I wanted them to see their lives through my eyes hoping they would one day understand why I said or did certain things. Neither girl knows I do this. It’s comforting to me to know if something ever happened, they would have a piece of me with them.
My mom was big on taking notes in her Bible. I feel so very blessed to now have it in my possession. When I got it, I could open it and see my mom’s handwriting staring back at me – so comforting. I can’t tell you how many times, it has helped me understand a passage. The pages contain her thoughts, sermon notes, and highlighted sections of her favorite verses. Over the last 30 years, I’ve added my own notes and highlights. I have to tell you, some passages are hard to read where they’ve been written on so many times. Consequently and because I have 2 girls, I’m in the process of marking Bibles for them. One day, when the time is right, I want to present these Bibles to them so they will be able to carry on the legacy with their own children. It’s something I’m thinking I might need to do for my grandchildren also (if I ever get any).
So you young moms, remember, it’s never too late to start building those memories and keeping them for your kids. One day, you can look back and know you’re leaving a bit of yourself not only in their hearts but also in their hands.
Carol Goad lives in Springfield, Tennessee with her husband of 28 years, Dee. She has 2 pugs and a dachshund that replaced her 2 grown girls, Emmy and Anna. She is also the proud mother-in-law of Joshua. Carol enjoys crafting, knitting, being involved with her church, and running.
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