day 14- Growing growing gone........and 15- A Work of Heart

Empty nest has its ups and downs. As we ready the house to sell, I look around and its the little things that bring tear to my eyes...the corner of my 2 'babies' room where we measured them as they reveled in their growth. I had to leave another such place as we moved from our other house. The baby and toddler years were left on a door frame there, and now, we paint this place, this monument to their growth and development. It is so very true, you wish they will grow ut of this phase of that one...and damn it, they do..............
my heart hurts.

day 15- A Work of Heart
My mother, Auntie and me painted this mural on the boys wall when they were 12 & 10 yrs old. Now they are grown and gone. I took these last photos, now wishing we had been smart enough to paint it on a canvas. We had to paint over it and it broke my heart. My Auntie has passed on, my mother is aged...and the boys are young men. Where did it go? My 4 little boys are men. I am proud of them and marvel at the people they have become independant of me. But I long for the days they crawled up on my knee and snuggled in close as I sang (no doubt off key) songs at bedtime, we said prayers and I tucked them in. Then, I sat and rocked silently in the rocking chair whilst they drifted off to sleep, with mommy on guard!