16 Years of August

This month is our 16th anniversary. Where has the time gone! It flies by so fast. In 3 short years my son will graduate high school. 2 years later my daughter will follow. Sammy and I looked forward to getting them through and being together to enjoy the rest of our lives serving The Lord together. We will be done raising "kids" by 41. It was the only consolation to having a "surprise" baby. 😉 Yet, the grass is always greener on the other side. I look back at the early years and miss the moments that seemed so overwhelming at the time. I see where I should have slowed down and enjoyed the time instead of rush through to get to the next thing. Isn't it funny how we are? We fail to be content in our season. I know that is me. I look back and wish I could do things differently. Or, look forward in hope for easier times. But what about here and now? Right where God has me? Can I focus on that? I am realizing this is quite a feat. August, a month of celebration for us. Oddly enough I can count on 1 hand the amount of times we actually stopped to celebrate. Not this time. Going through pictures has brought back fond memories of my adorable kids. Packing will reveal more of our past in bittersweet, bite-sized moments. Treasures to remember and cherish. It is in this time of looking back and storing things away that I can expect tears and hesitance, but also joy and excitement. I will choose to celebrate. Healthy children. Loving family and friends that have come and gone. Highs and lows. Victories and challenges. Seasons that have passed on, as they always do. August, the month that always manages to bring us new things and take others away. I can come up with an example for every year we have been married! Funny- I hadn't even realized it until this moment. This August, like all it's predecessors, brings more distractions. So we will chose to celebrate. 16 years - every one with its own ups and downs- have come and gone, but we are still here. That is reason to celebrate. God is good.