Ever Changing

I'm not sure I'm ready for this. This January I'll have another child living abroad. Christopher & Lauren are still in Korea.

Sarabeth is headed to London.

Part of me wants to pack my bag and go with her, another part of me wants to tell her she's staying home and never going away. Then there's that last part. Sigh. It says she's going to a big city, in a foreign country. She needs to go. It will be a life changing adventure.

Years ago, my dad told me one of the reason teenagers are obnoxious, challenging your intelligence because they know everything, is so that when it comes time for them to move out, you are ready for them to go. I must be doing something wrong. If only they were still in their teen years.

When Sarabeth heads off to the UK, only 1 of our 5 kids will be living at home. Oh my goodness! One of these days NONE of them will be here. I cannot let that happen. What am I...oh wait, maybe I'm wrong. Elisabeth will still be here forever. I'm sure of it.

When Elisabeth was in 6th grade, she told me I was her best friend. I thanked her, and told her I wished that would always be, but in time she'd feel different. She vowed that she would never grow up and move away. I smiled, knowing otherwise. She promised that nothing could ever change her mind. I laughed, assuring her that one day she really would WANT to live somewhere else. With tears in her eyes she said, "not in a million years." I told her okay. Maybe she really meant it.

How cute is her new haircut? Sarabeth might have to get a matching one. We were told the water pressure in London is weak, and hot water runs out quickly. Sarabeth had hoped it was an isolated incident she experienced the first time she went to England. We were told yesterday this is common. I told her we have more than enough hot water here. She can keep her hair long if she stays home.