A Mother’s Emotions

My youngest daughter, 16, left for a summer mission trip almost 3 weeks ago. I have been very emotional since she left. I just miss her very much. She’s been away to church camp before for 5 days at a time. And that never made me this emotional. In fact, I have had my 3 youngest all at church camp at the same time, and it didn’t effect me like this has been.

We have an older married daughter that lives in another county. I missed her like crazy when she moved out over 7 years ago. Our oldest son has moved away a few times, even to another state. I missed him, too. Our 20 year old son moved out about 2 weeks before our youngest went on her mission trip. I still miss him very much, too.

But none of those situations made me as emotional has I have been for the last two weeks.

Then our youngest, almost 15 year old son went to camp this week. I sure have missed him! But I didn’t get all emotional when I dropped him off at camp. And wasn’t extra emotional while he was gone. Well, it didn’t add anything extra to what I was already feeling.

And that got me to thinking. A lot.

I don’t love one child more than the rest of my children. So why such a strong emotional reaction to my 16 year old leaving?……

I came to the conclusion it is because I know this is the beginning of the end of my daughters time at home. And I’m not ready to let her go!

A Mother’s Emotions

She has told me since she was young that she wanted to be a missionary. While talking to her several times about college, she said she didn’t want to go to college. That if she did go, she would rather go to a Bible college. She said she didn’t care if she got a degree, she just wanted to go to study the Bible.

So I have a feeling, (mother’s intuition?) that she comes home next month, that she will say she wants to finish here remaining two high school classes, and go to Bible college starting in January. I won’t be surprised at all.

So I will learn to deal with my emotions. I will get them under control. Because I want her to go forward with her life. To be whatever God wants her to be. Whether she goes to college, or Bible college, becomes a teacher, nurse, etc, or becomes a missionary.

I know it’s not really the end of my time with her. It will just be different. And different is ok!