It happened overnight...

You know how parents are always saying, "It seems like just yesterday..."? Well, there's a reason for that.

Tonight I realized that I have witnessed two of my three children cross this invisible thresh hold into young adulthood. And you know what? I think it happened overnight. Each of them were different ages when it happened. Maybe because one is a boy and one is a girl. You know how girls mature earlier than boys. But overnight I realized a distancing, fewer hugs, more eye rolling. And it's all a part of growing up and away. I try not to take it personally.

It's funny. I realized when my kids were babies that from the time they are born it's just a series of events that leads to this moving apart from the parents. First it's standing, then crawling and walking. Then on to something with wheels that takes them away faster than their little feet ever could. Then it's school and events and friends and relationships. Driving, dating, college..... I'm not even there yet.

It doesn't seem very long ago that Steve said in exasperation, "Will there ever be a bedtime when someone doesn't cry?!"

Yes. We have lots of those now. Well, at least the kids aren't crying. There may be a parent crying every now and again, remembering those days of sweet voices, special bedtime books and songs. Lots of hugging and lots of questions to answer.

Now they know all of the answers.

As my Mother used to tell me, you can always have friends, but you only have one Mother. And I do, and there's not a person on the earth who could replace her. I want my children to feel that way about me, too.

So it seems someone else grew up overnight.

Me.