Time

Today was Gavin's last day of school. I am so very proud of him and all the hard work he put into third grade. This year has proved to be a bit of a transition... He's grown up emotionally in many ways over the past year; not that things were always easy, but honestly, when are they? What I mean is that he seems to be growing up right in front of me. Some days I can feel it happening right before my eyes... Sure, he's still goofy and does some strange things sometimes, but he's a boy, so I chalk those oddities up to his gender.

I think he can feel himself changing and growing up, too. Yet in some respects he's still my little boy. I expect him to be embarrassed about his mom and dad... but oddly he doesn't seem to be. Even where his friends are concerned, he doesn't shy away from me or Monte.

He was even excited for me to come into his classroom last week to do an art project with his class. He was equally excited to have a cafeteria lunch date with me. But I'm not sure if it was so much my company, or the food I brought... but I'll take what I can get.

The art project was just a simple printing plate, made with Styrofoam. Gavin was excited to show his friends how the project worked. I really enjoy seeing him so engrossed and involved. He made several plates and showed all of his classmates how to make the plate by firmly-gently pressing a design into the foam, roll on the paint and make prints.

Watching kids create, ask questions as they go, help one another and then let their imaginations run wild is such a thrill. I must have been an art teacher in a former life...

Fourth grade is right around the corner. Gavin will be 10 - double digits - in just a few short months. I'm not sure how that can be, after all, we just brought that blue-eye'd baby home from the hospital yesterday... or so it seems. But I'm getting ahead of myself... I do that sometimes; become thunderstruck by the time that has passed... I catch myself thinking how these 9 years passed so quickly, surely the next 9 will pass all too quickly as well.

Before I know it, my mind's eye has Gavin 18 years old and a senior in high school. There is a long time between now and then... lots of time for Gavin to continue to grow... but sometimes it takes a conscious effort to convince myself that isn't right around the corner.

We have lots of time... time for him to continue to grow into the young adult I see glimpses of every so often, looking back at me with deep, wise and knowing eyes. Time for him to learn to make good decisions. Time for me to learn the best ways to guide him in his own decisions, not just my own choices iterated by a boy for his mother's benefit. Time for us to soak up one another, enjoying this time for what it is and nothing more.