It seems only natural to spend today reflecting on 2016, many people have spent the last several weeks writing about their reflections of 2016. In fact, I started to write a FaceBook post of my reflections and instead decided to add a blog entry and share it on social media – yup…two years after starting this blog I am finally ready to share it with the world, or at least with the small part of the world that follows me on social media. Before I get to my reflections, a word about respecting the privacy of others. I have purposefully avoided using real names for everyone except myself in this blog. Even when referring to my own children I use their nicknames, everyone else is referred to in general terms based on their relationship to me. Simply put, I believe everyone has the right to determine for themselves where their name can be found when searching the world-wide web.
Nationally, I suppose 2016 will be remembered as the year of celebrity deaths and the presidential election. But my personal reflections for 2016 have nothing to do with either of those topics. A couple of weeks ago, at our family Christmas celebration, it was mentioned that when I provided answers for our annual family trivia game, most of my answers were about events in my children’s lives, not my own. A few weeks before that, I was talking to a co-worker about my boys’ volleyball team and mentioned that I ran it more like a family than a team – he nodded, smiled and said he had no trouble believing that. So, today, as I mentally reviewed 2016 and started anticipating 2017 – I had some sobering thoughts…what the heck am I going to do when my kids aren’t a part of my every day life? Is my life only about the events in my children’s lives? Oh crap, what have I done?
And I spent a scary 10 minutes in my own head. I reviewed the ages of kids, 26 and 18; calculated the reduction in the number of daily interactions that I have with Re now, compared to 7 years ago; extrapolated what that would mean for Boo over the next 7 years; the amusing part of this story is that I CAN (and did) do the math. Then I started laughing, out loud, as I sat in my recliner, in my very quiet family room, sipping my 2nd cup of coffee of the day. Yes, I only have two biological children, but I have seven nieces, one nephew, about 20 young people who actually call me “Mama”, and hundreds of other young people who I consider part of my extended family. I have enough of “my own kids” for daily interactions to last me a lifetime.
Here are a few of my favorite “My Kids” reflections from 2016 – in no particular order:
- Less than 6 months old and I am not allowed to retire from coaching until I have had the opportunity to be her volleyball coach.
- 2016 high school grad who stopped me on the street to tell me he was working a full-time job, I told him I was proud of him for recognizing that he wasn’t ready for college, yet.
- The 30-something year old who commented on a picture I posted, telling me that I was beautiful “inside and out”.
- The young man who refused to remain silent while another boy was being bullied.
- Me, sitting on the gym floor, consoling one of my boys after a tournament loss – he was injured most of the season.
- Planning the “Sweet 16 – Tiara Required” birthday party that will take place in June 2017.
- Being asked if a hug would make me feel better and then getting hugs from 10 sweaty boys.
- The brave and selfless act of telling a teacher, to help a child in need.
- Being asked if I always pray during volleyball matches. (Duh, of course I do)
- Watching some of my boys win a state football championship – making memories that will last a lifetime.
- Quietly and nervously sitting on the sidelines watching my girl be successful doing what she loves.
- A small world encounter where I refer to someone as my child and then quickly have to explain not my biological child.
- Hearing the words “he’s out of surgery, but it’s worse than we thought”, but then eventually hearing “my shoulder has never felt better”.
- Being told countless times what wonderful children I have.
These are just the tip of the iceberg. My heart is full of 2016 memories of “my kids”. I will close this post with a thank you. A thank you to the parents of “my kids”. Thank you for trusting me enough to share your precious children with me. Thank you for allowing me to spend time with them and have some small part in helping them grow up. For as long as there are parents like you, I will have kids a part of my everyday life.
Bring it on 2017 – I am ready!
