Reconnect: My Teenager, Food & Time

Life gets very busy with 7 children.  When those children are between the ages of 11 months and almost 17 it is hard to meet everyone's needs all the time.  Something my husband established when our oldest was one, is dating our kids.  We take turns taking our kids on dates.  When our oldest daughter turned 15 many of her friends had a "significant other", something we didn't allow at that age in our home.  I sat my husband down and said, you have a new job.  You are her boyfriend.  You will teach her what dating should look like and how you expect young men to treat her.  

And so he did.  With vigilant effort, almost every single week (sometimes at the expense of a date night together) he took out our daughter for a year.  It had more benefits than I can begin to explain in a small post here.  But one thing that happened, that I didn't expect was that she and I drifted a little bit apart.  Fast forward almost 2 years... Now she is almost 17.  She has a good great boyfriend, who is thoughtful, kind, generous with his compliments and a perfect gentleman, including opening every door and making sure every need she has is met.  I know part of the reason she has chosen him is because of the example her father set for how she should be treated.  

For the year before she met him, like I said, we drifted a bit apart.  It happens. Sometimes relationships wax and wane.  Like the phases of the moon though, it all comes back in full view and it has been a JOYful experience to share her every little moment.  To hear her giggle and share happy times and things he has said that make her laugh.  Reconnecting with her and sharing one of the most important times thus far of her life with her has melted away any drifting that occurred.  And it reminds me that... 

“For whatsoever from one place doth fall, 
Is with the tide unto an other brought: 
For there is nothing lost, that may be found, if sought.” 
― Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene

Reconnecting with my girl, sharing her hopes, her dreams, her fears, that is what makes my life beautiful.  It is the pinnacle of motherhood to be needed, to hear her unspoken request for approval of her choices.  And seeing the extraordinary way she is turning out, and freely being able to tell her I am happy for her.  It isn't all roses over here.  And the past 20 months between she and I had some distant divides in thoughts and ideas of what life should look like.  But I have a testimony, that what we seek for can be found...if sought.  I am so grateful for this brave, beautiful, funny, courageous, happy, joyful girl of mine.  Neither of us are perfect, but we sure love each other. 
Who do you need to reconnect with, or whom have you recently connected with?  We'd love to hear!

Light and Love,

JOYsister~Christine