The Summer of the Momma

“Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him.” Psalm 127:3 (NIV)

God blessed me this last summer.  One of our children started calling me a nickname that I hadn’t heard in years.  I kind of wondered why it suddenly appeared again, but it was a nice nickname and I enjoyed it so I didn’t think too seriously about it and just enjoyed listening to it being spoken lovingly… multiple times a day.

It wasn’t until many weeks into summer that I think I realized why God allowed this blessing, this particular summer.  It was the last summer all three kids would be home as full time as teenagers can.  It was the last summer that we could consider “lazy” as a family before jobs, ministries and other activities pulled us all in opposite directions.  It was the last summer of innocent childhood fun before the responsibilities of adulthood overtook some of our young adults and time became more precious.

I will always look back on the summer of 2017 as the summer of the “Momma” because it was a summer I will cherish for its memories.  It marked spontaneous trips as a family of five; our first mother-daughter trip that took us cross country to celebrate the wedding of my niece, her cousin before our daughter entered high school and all the responsibility that entails.  It was a summer of dates with our youngest while his older siblings were away at band camp and church camp as he learned how to fill his days without them around to keep him company.  It was a summer of laughter-filled bonfires because we could, volleyball games on the lawn and inside family jokes that resulted.

Life is meant to be a series of changes.  I haven’t always enjoyed change, although I’m learning to embrace it, accept it and even look forward to it.  As I start the process of learning to say goodbye to our family unit the way it looks now, I look forward to the way it will possibly eventually include spouses as well as, if God chooses, grandchildren down the road.

We still have a few years before those changes will occur, but in the meantime, I will always remember the summer of 2017 as the summer of the Momma.  A time to love, laugh and make memories together before our family unit changes again.

© Cheri Swalwell 2017