Milestones

 My sister and I grew up hearing our dad proclaiming certain life happenings as milestones. We celebrated most of them. First date, first drivers license, first prom, significant marker birthdays. Except our mom who stayed 29 for ten years, then she was thirty nine for another decade, you see where this is going. But I digress.  

The first birdie out of the nest was college bound me. A definite milestone to celebrate but a bit bittersweet. Perhaps we were not ready for the changes but we adjusted.  And we celebrated every homecoming and time we spent together.

The years passed and family milestones kept coming. Weddings, new babies, growing kids with their milestones from babyhood, childhood and adulthood. Now we are not only going to visit our parents three states away but going to see them as loving grandparents. Special visits. New milestones. Precious memories.  

Sooner than we imagined our family milestones became a balancing bar of role reversal mixed with respect to our aging parents. A major milestone to relocate them to be near us for better care. We only had Mom with us for a year and Dad only two years. And talk about a hard milestone-burying your parents. The hard part was we never talked about this milestone. The only conversation was IF I die not WHEN I die. My sister and I made it through this tough milestone of letting beloved parents go. We were comforted in knowing they both were in heaven, waiting for our reunion one day. 

Today was a milestone for myself and daughters. We designed a grave marker for their dad and myself. Seeing our names on the marker is a ‘suck in your breath’ moment. My husband with a death date. My name eventually will be completed. 

I cannot help but wonder how did we get here so quickly. Yet there are marvelous milestones still ahead. I will embrace them because I know God is my life planner and in control. 

Always trusting.