The room across the hall

Last night it hit me.....soon the room across the hall will be vacant.  That room has been occupied by one of my children since October 4, 2004 when my daughter was born.  It was once pink, loaded with tiny baby things & Winnie The Pooh decor.  As she grew, it was decorated with Dora then Disney Princesses.  When the first child graduated and left home that room transitioned to a teenage boy's room.  Pink became khaki, Disney Princesses became posters, football pictures, a Fathead of Lebron James, prom pictures, manly colors like gray & black decorate the room.  At the end of January, my 2nd oldest child who turns 20 later this month will embark on a new adventure in his life in the US Navy.  That room that has held one of my children for 8 years, will be empty.  A house full of children will have slowly become a house with one child.  My heart is full of pride that my boys have chosen to serve their country.  My heart is full of pride with the wonderful men my sons continue to grow to be but there is this space in my heart that misses those little boys with eyes wide with wonder and hearts full of dreams of what the world holds for them.  I treasure each moment with my children as they continue to grow and hold on a little tighter to my youngest as know how quickly these years will pass and I will have not only an empty room across the hall, but an empty room next door.  My son needs to go on this adventure.  It will help him to grow and shape him in ways that myself and my husband could not and cannot do as parents.  I look forward to watching him move on to this next phase in his life, but as I walk past that room each morning I will be reminded how quickly time passes and how you never know what life holds in store for your children.  The room will become something....we have yet to decide.  I have distracted myself for months now trying to figure out what.  This morning when I got up & saw that door open with an empty bed, reality smacked me in the face and reminded me of why that room across the hall will be empty and what it means.....I will have successfully sent another child off into this world as a man....I love you Dylan.