Reasons to Love My Adult Kids

Our adult children look at us with question. They shake their heads and smile. They laugh at us. They sometimes make fun of us. Above all else, they don’t understand one vital aspect of our life together.

We have never had time alone in our marriage. We are having so much fun.

We had our first child right away. Then, every other year, another baby came bouncing along. We graduated the youngest one a few months ago. It was a long road, going from babies to adults. They now have their own interests, apartments, houses, cars, kids, and dogs.

There are four of them, so often in our marriage, we have felt outnumbered. But now we feel FREE.

We go to dinner. We have white space on our calendar, and we don’t have to skip anything. We have upgraded our furniture. Our house is slowly simplifying. We bought a dishwasher. We have nice towels. We run to get coffee or take out. We read books. (I mean, I read books, John naps in a recliner.)

I think they may be a little annoyed at the timing of the dishwasher.

There are no extra pets in the house. There are no turtles, snakes, frogs, worms or pet goldfish.

We have quiet afternoons. We don’t have to sleep with a light on. There are projects we can do together- not because someone has broken something.

Then, there are the other times.

When I need a hand, there are three strapping young men to help. My daughter is an excellent plumber. (She is an awesome cook and baker, plumbing is her side gig) When a crisis occurs, there is always someone to call for support, or commiserating. If the car is making a noise- we have a guy for that. If we want a fence built, we have a guy for that. When we need some muscle, we have a guy for that. When I need a hug, we have a guy for that. When we need girl talk, we have a girl for that. (again, me)

When I make too much taco meat, or I need to make room in the freezer, they show up, and they eat. When we need a grandbaby fix- they come on over. When my momma became a widow, they stepped up. They take care of her, so I can take care of myself some days. These adult kids are such a blessing.

Their willingness to laugh at John and I is so heartwarming to me. They say we act like kids. They think we are weird because we are living a little differently. The difference is it’s just the two of us.

My hope is for our adult kids to have these moments eventually too. I want for them what I have. I want them to have a spouse who loves them unconditionally. They deserve a little quiet time. I want them to know who Jesus is and what his power means. In every aspect of their lives, I want them to be able to see the miracles and blessings. I want them to know God always provides for us.

While John and I spend a few years taking care of one another, I want our kids to see its been love that carried us through all the things. Love which only comes from God. It carries us through the good the bad and especially the ugly. Love carries us through grief, happiness, laughter, and misery. It holds us together when we seem to be falling apart. It binds us to one another yet allows us to be individuals.

It is fun having adult kids. Once in a while, I miss them as littles. Sometimes I would like a longer hug, a bigger smile or an extended visit. I would love for them to slow down some days. I would love for them to learn the value of white space on their calendars. One day they will know what I know, and they will appreciate everything in goodness.  Until then, I will keep watching them grow and mature, make mistakes and memories. I will always love them, and they know it.