I enjoy my kids and what I have enjoyed most over the years, is the joy they’ve shared with one another. But the saddest part of watching these kids grow up is that they are also moving on and that means less and less time together.
Jonathan is in Bloomington and we see him via Skype once a week or so but that isn’t just the same.
Emily has graduated from high school and will be attending IUPUI in the fall. Her days will be packed with study and friends.
This leaves our youngest and most energetic son still at home. Ben loves us…we know he does…but life at home just isn’t the same without his teammates and partners in crime. Their combined laughter and thoughtful discussions about everything from music selections to world poverty will grow quiet. Ben will have to depend on his parents for some quiet dinners and occasional visits to the local movie theater.
But for now, it is just another night at the Austin home. Jonathan is visiting but has made is way to a friend’s house for an evening visit. Emily is upstairs painting and listening to Harry Potter in the quiet of her own room. Ben is on a mission trip to Mississippi and working hard in the heat of the deep south. All the while, my wife and I sit quietly watching “24” while the dogs sleep at our feet.
The children’s laughter will have to wait for another day.
