punch to the throat, BOB CARLISLE

I dropped Brynn off for her first real playdate today, at least her first one without me or her brother. When I opened the van to get her out, I thought for a second about picking her up and carrying her into her friend's house. I mean, she's still tiny, and maybe I could soak up the babyness, just for a minute. I decided just to let her walk, and hold my hand. She's growing up, and she was so excited about going to play.

This morning at breakfast, we had to break the news to her and Toby that they couldn't marry each other when they grow up. I told them they'd marry someone else and live in different houses. Toby was not cool with this idea.
"You can't marry your sister." I told him, "It's against the rules."
"But we'll be GROWNUPS," he explained, "So it will be okay!"
Brynn was not as bothered about living separately from Toby. She told me she would have a husband and some babies, while the MOG muttered threats under his breath.

It's true, though. With the exception of R2, all of these small people will continue growing and eventually leave me. So I was thinking today about that, and about what I'm doing now and how much it matters. I mean, this is a job here, just the parenting. And if I invest the next 15-20 years of my life in teaching these guys how to work and love God and be respectful and cover their mouths when they cough, that will pay off. Think about that. I will live for a long, long time, probably, and one portion of my life, a relatively short portion, is essential to training children for their whole lives.

Anyway, I guess I get philosophical or whatever when I only have 2 kids in my house and may or may not still be under the influence of sinus medication. So there you go.