January 29

As recently as a year ago, the sight of Abby and Gracie sitting in Gracie's car --which is what I usually see when I arrive to retrieve Abby from Youth Group of late-- would have been utterly terrifying.

Now, it's kinda-sorta just... normal.

I reflected a bit on that rather surreal truth as I waited for them to finish their conversation this evening. We live this life in stages. I've been with Abby as she went from pre-born to newborn to toddler to preschooler to elementary schooler to middle schooler to high schooler. I've watched her become more and more independent and self-reliant, to the point that later this year, she too will be able to drive her own car, by herself. Sometimes I can scarcely believe she's the same person as the sassy, precocious toddler who plodded through the house wearing my shoes and conversed with "Baby YO-gan" before he was old enough to speak. Yet she and that little girl are one and the same.

Yep, growing up is terrifying (for parents and offspring alike, methinks). But it's also incredibly exciting and incredibly cool to watch your kids experience and pass through those phases one by one until they're ready to fly on their own. It's all a tremendous blessing.