So My Son's Getting Married

Yep, Josh is getting married in three days.

And, yes, I got a little teary-eyed as I typed those words.

Happy tears. Happy tears.

I've finished scrubbing the tile grout and moved on to cleaning out the fridge--to make room for all the food I'm buying for the weekend festivities--and rearranging the photos and magnets on the front of the fridge. How inane is that? (I know! Post a comment and tell me what silly, inane things you do when company is coming to visit. Let me know I am not alone!)

Last night I did a silly Mom thing. I looked through photos of Josh growing up. And, yes, I cried. You'd think I wanted to make myself cry. Well, that wasn't the point, but it was the result. There he was--a tow-headed toddler with a mischevious grin and a "You-can't-make-me" glint in his eyes. Photos of him holding a variety of pet snakes--Did I ever tell you about the time one got loose in his room and I had to catch it? Photos of him at fourteen getting ready to head out for a nine-week Teen Missions trip to Kenya.

That was probably the first time I had to purposefully let my son go. I wasn't ready for him to go so far, far away for so long--but he was more than ready. And I didn't want to get in the way of what God had planned for him. I still don't.

When it came time to say goodbye, he looked me in the eye and said, "You going to be okay, Mom?"

"Yep. I'll be fine."

He could see the tears in my eyes. He probably figured I was lying. But I was going to do my best to be fine--to let him go. I prayed my way through that summer.

I remember watching him walk away--off to a new adventure. I was so, so proud of my son.

I'll be fine Sunday too. I am still proud of Josh. And I am so, so excited for him to start his Happily Ever After with Jen.