Sunrise, Sunset

As Dawn and I were preparing for our wedding, my mom requested very little of us. But one thing she did ask, was to have the song, "Sunrise, Sunset," performed during the ceremony. I thought she was crazy. Did you ever hear that song? It sounded like an old persons song! "Okay, Mom, we can have Uncle Lou sing it just for you."

What seemed like only a few seasons later, we watched our own children growing and often pondered those lyrics from Fiddler on the Roof...

Is this the little girl I carried?
Is this the little boy at play?
I don't remember growing older.
When did they?
When did she get to be a beauty?
When did he grow to be this tall?
Wasn't it yesterday when they were small?

Sunrise, sunset.
Sunrise, sunset.
Swiftly flow the days.
Seedlings turn overnight to sunflowers,
Blossoming even as we gaze.
Sunrise, sunset.
Sunrise, sunset.
Swiftly fly the years.
One season following another,

Laden with happiness and tears.

As I watch Adam playing some game on his computer, I often flashback to simpler times when he would be jumping - yes, literally jumping with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles as he battled the other mutants on his Nintendo 64. Somewhere along the way he has outgrown the jumping part but still enjoys a good video game.

Well, Jackie came home for an overnight visit and as she took a phone call from a friend, she happened to be standing in front of our french doors in our living room. She has grown to be a very impressive young lady in so many ways. My attention was drawn through the doors onto the deck where my mind flashed back to the days when she would climb onto the railing and treat it like a balance beam. She would say, "Look Dad, I'm in the Olympics," then proceed to walk back and forth on the narrow five inch rail cap.

My heart would pound a little faster as I quickly calculated how many things could go wrong, but would respond with something like, "Go get 'em kid! Just watch your step, okay?"

Sometimes both of them were so brave and others they simply needed the comfort of our embrace. I cannot help but marvel at how much the Lord has blessed us over the years in countless ways. And in those blessings, I am still amazed at how many sunrises and sunsets fly by in fast motion leaving us to wonder, can this be my little girl? Can this be my little boy? They seem to have grown so quickly... I still find myself saying to them through my thoughts, prayers and words, "Go get 'em kid! Just watch your step, okay?"

Of course, sometimes the way they act I wonder, should I have some DNA tests done to see if they really are mine?

HAHAHA... just kidding, just kidding! They are unmistakably ours and we will keep them. You guys bring us great joy! Keep on, keepin' on!