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Growing Up (Part II)

My oldest daughter got the flu on Thursday. She was completely miserable with the body aches, sore throat, dry cough, and horrible headache. I hate to see her suffer but I loved being the one who could make her feel better with administration of meds, back rubs, water, chicken noodle soup or whatever. Motherhood gives me a purpose greater than any I have. I fear I may suffer from Münchausen syndrome by proxy except that I don't make her sick, I just enjoy taking care of my children when they are sick. I enjoy the symbiotic relationship we share.

I registered this daughter for EFY at BYU months ago. It starts today. She has been miserably sick every day. My dilemma was that I didn't want to send her for a week long camp to a place where I couldn't take care of her. On the other hand, I had paid quite a sum for her to go and a refund was not looking likely. She spent the day resting and we assessed it this afternoon. She was feeling tired but not sick. She was going to EFY late but today.

As she packed her bag and we loaded it into the car, I could see her figuratively crouched on a launching pad, ready for lift-off. I could see her going to EFY, dating, getting her heart broken, going off to college, getting married, having children, being knocked around with experiences of life, etc.

I remembered a Mormon commercial when I was a kid where a dad looks at his brand new baby in the hospital nursery and sees her growing up and going through all the rites of passage while a woman sings "Julie Through the Glass."

I cried while I drove her to BYU. She patted my hand and told me she'll come and see me even when I'm in a nursing home.

Unsaid: Just let me enjoy this, will ya'?

I had to pull myself back to the moment and enjoy what I had right then. She didn't see all of those things I did. She was starting a one week adventure. It was going to be "awesome."

Childhood is so short.

Comments

  1. ChristaJune 2, 2009 at 9:40 AM

    aww that's so sweet! It's funny how all through out their lives we see those glimpses. My girls sat at dinner last night drinking out of regular cups with straws, they didn't spill anything, they let me know when they needed more "dip-dip" and that they wanted "col-cold." I could't get my mind to stop racing thinking that before I knew they would be graduating and off to the real world. I kept trying to go back to those first few days at home when they really needed me. But those days are gone...and growing up has already begun.

    Oh and I know you meant tears of laughter on my blog right?

    ReplyDelete
  2. SusanJune 2, 2009 at 12:40 PM

    I'm glad to hear she made it to EFY. Jess has been worried about her missing it this week. I hope she has a great time!

    Oh, and you're right. We see a lot more into things than the kids do. I think that's what we're supposed to do as moms...

    ReplyDelete
  3. wendyJune 2, 2009 at 12:55 PM

    I love your daughter's reassurance for you. She clearly comes from funny, quick-witted parents.

    ReplyDelete
  4. The MomJune 3, 2009 at 8:27 PM

    What a good Mom you are. Are my kids going to be that old some day?!

    ReplyDelete
  5. alybearSeptember 6, 2009 at 8:27 PM

    well, efy was awesome! But man was I exhausted! And because you have been such a great mother, i think that the nursing home that i pick for you some day will be a nice one.

    ReplyDelete

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