All the firsts in raising children
By the time you read this, our youngest daughter will have gone from Miss to Mrs.
Not only is it a pivotal moment in our daughter's
life —
but also to her dad and mine's.
I began at the newspaper when our two daughters were in the seventh and eighth grade. It was a perfect location just down the road from Stanwood Middle School. They could walk down to my office on early dismissal days and because their mom was a
reporter at the time, they never knew where I might be in town. I always hoped it was a good deterrent — but if it wasn't, this mother no longer needs to product, so to speak, turned out
know! The finished product, so to speak, turned out extremely satisfactory.
The girls did well in the school district and thoroughly enjoyed their high school years. Their dad and I sat on many cold sidelines watching track, cross country and soccer events. We loved it all —like many parents, we knew they were fleeting moments and they were.
College came all too soon and the break away years began. Still, we treasured the many visits to both daughters' colleges that were six-hour drives in opposite directions. Because the girls were only one year apart in school, each milestone for our older one, was followed quickly by our youngest.
Now here we are on the cusp of another monumental step, except this time, our youngest is the one breaking new ground. At 25, her 26-year-old sister is being beat to the altar!
For the first time, she'll be the one giving advice to her older sister on what to expect when it's her turn. And if history is any indicator, it won't be long before she's helping plan her sister's wedding! I don't know how my late in-laws managed doing this seven times! I'm sure they felt lucky that three of their 10 children were boys.
Nonetheless, I can't help but reminisce on all the "firsts" in this last quarter of a century with our two daughters.
This one is bound to be another tearjerker, but they will be happy, proud tears — not unlike what our parents and many before us can attest to.
- Kelly Ruhoff
Editor
