Back to the Future

My older three kids left on Saturday for cousin camp with their awesome Aunt Kim. It is almost as if it were 8 years earlier, and Corban was 2 and Kjerstin was a newborn. Is it any less busy? Not a bit. All moms are busy regardless of how many children they have. I was actually a bit sad to have them go. In Sunday School yesterday they were talking about jobs in the family, and who is responsible for what. One fellow said kids are responsible for creating terror. It is amazing how crazy they can drive you, but how devoted you are as a mother to your children. I remember when I was pregnant with Corban and was doing TaeBo. I imagined someone trying to get my child when I was doing my punches and kicks. It gave that extra "umph!" I remember how numb I was when Corban was in the hospital when he was three and was so sick. I was trying to protect myself from the hurt I felt for him and wishing I could take it all away and praying nothing worse would happen. I still wish I could take away their pain but it is part of the plan, the good the bad and the ugly. As babies you enjoy each new phase and yet wonder if you can still love them as much when they aren't little tiny, cuddly babies. But you do. They truly are the best gift because it keeps evolving and developing and "WOW"ing you. My older kids are good company for me. Bridger has been out of town the last two weeks (during the week and home on the weekend). In a way I am more traumatized to have them gone for a week than having him gone two weeks. It is like Mother Eve said, "Were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed, and never should have known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient." Our children do bring us joy. I was reading the newspaper yesterday and there was a section on getting your kids back to school. In that section, it had a section for sending your kids off to college. That still seems like it is so far away but it will be here before I know it! I guess that is Back to the Future, part two.
P.S. I guess the Lord wanted me to remember how much I love ALL of my children after having to go through five kids dressers last week in prep for back to school. Oh, how I dislike that chore!