Luke 2:19

"but Mary quietly treasured these things in her heart and thought about them often."

There are many times as a mom I've identified with Mary and her treasuring, pondering things in her heart. When you realize you really are pregnant: when you feel that first little fluttering and hope it's not gas you feel, but really the baby. When you get to hold your baby for the first time and the days after. Wow.. such a gift God has blessed you with. Then the first day of school and you realize the baby is growing up, and will eventually leave you.

Many times a mom ponders and treasures.

I clearly remember our bride's first prom. We were excited. We got the dress, borrowed the shoes, had a friend do the hair, and watched as she nervously and excitedly got ready for her big evening. So proud and happy for her I was. Then the charming date arrives, all nervous and handsome. He genuinely appreciated how pretty she looked, for him, and off they went. Out the door. And it hit me....he got to enjoy my daughter, got to show her off, and party with her while the poppa and I stayed home.
Something didn't seem quite right with that. We created this child, paid for all the hoopla, shouldn't we get something? It was a bit of an empty feeling.

Now, here we are, another pondering, treasuring time. When the groom sent us the text showing his fingers holding a ring with the message. " don't worry. I have a plan." I was surprised,,,, cried,,, and then was tenderly held by my brown-eyed handsome hubby. He asked, " aren't you happy?" "yeeesss" I blubbered.

And I wanted to tell everyone..yet I wanted to tell no one. It was our news, our joy, our excitement, our time to treasure and ponder. Here we were, our oldest daughter was soon to receive a heart's desire, which made it our desire...yet I was ... happy, sad, excited, and knowing things will never be the same. As much as I wanted her to know the feeling of love and being cherished by the man of her dreams, I also didn't want to think of sharing her at holidays with some one else and the other changes marriage brings. I didn't want that empty feeling again.

However, in our family we don't "give kids away". We just happily love another in to the family.

Lately, my pondering has been on some already shared experiences with the Renaissance Man* Groom, and all the life-sharing we will get to do. Happy to say..we like him. He's a God gift to our bride, and a God gift to our family. And we are genuinely thrilled to see how happy our bride is. Such a joy for parents.

Enough pondering for today. My heart can only handle so much.

* the Brides grandma and great aunti often say " he is SUCH a renaissance man"