One Unexpected Benefit of a Late-in-Life Child

I can let life overwhelm me.

Sometimes I'll be driving in the car, mentally rehearsing my ever-expanding To Do list. Christa sits in the back seat, a spectator to my increasing anxiety as my time decreases in proportion to all that needs to get done.

"Breathe, Mom," she says," Breathe."

I glance in the rearview mirror and see her lifting her arms and circling her hands in an in-out motion as she inhales and exhales.

"Like this. Breathe in and out. In and Out."

I laugh out loud.

And I breathe.

In and out.

In and out.

Christa reminds me to relax. To not let life be so overwhelming.

I don't know how my 7-year-old caboose kiddo got so smart--but I'm thankful that she's along for the ride--both literally and figuratively. She's brought an unexpected balance to my life. When I first found out I was pregnant at 41, all I felt was off-kilter. Out-of-whack. It took me quite a while to think of this as being normal.

It's no longer just normal to have Christa in my life--it's right and good and a reason to be thankful.

Sometimes my caboose kiddo is the voice of sanity from the back seat of my car.

Imagine that.