Sweet irony

Last night my friend Mary Jane called. This month her daughter just married, making Mary Jane an empty-nester for the first time. She has one married son - with a her first grand child on the way, and two children on missions. She is experiencing a time that so many of us dread - when your children, who you have dedicated most your life to, have left. You found yourself wondering "who am I now?" The void must be almost tangible. As Mary Jane was talking I found myself moving from room to room in our house to try to talk to her without interruptions from my children. At one point I even tried to go into the bathroom, but the knocking on the door was so loud, I just opened the door. In the midst my frustrations of not being able to carry on a phone conversation, I just looked at my little girls and realized that soon enough I would be Mary Jane.
After I hung up the phone (or maybe one of the girls "accidentally" hung up the phone - I forget), I just looked at my babies and was so full of gratitude for them.
So to the me in future, when I read this someday ... today was hectic and crazy - play dates, babysitting, hugging, crying, running noses, lots of "I love yous", seven outfit changes, messes cleaned, books read, rushed dinner so that Mommy could make it to YW, more cuddles, and more "I love yous". It was your typical crazy day ... and I wouldn't change it for anything. Thanks, Mary Jane. I am going to log off now and check on my sleeping girls - because I can.