Maybe it happened while we were sleeping, or when we weren't looking, but it happened so fast, much faster than we expected. It feels like just yesterday they were born, like just yesterday they were two little girls completely dependent on mom and dad. I'm not sure how it happened, but they grew up too fast—too fast for us to remember every detail, yet slow enough to fill our hearts with special moments and memories that tell us it was all worth it. It was worth staying home, turning off our phones, declining engagements, living free from distractions, and educating them 24/7.

It was worth being close by, to get to know their strengths and weaknesses, which mirror our own. It was worth taking the time to show them God's love in the small details of nature, to teach them that the Bible isn't an old book on a shelf, but the living Word of God relevant to the lives of two teenagers in the 21st century. It was worth teaching them that He is their best friend, the only one who loves them unconditionally and will always be by their side.

Recently, the older one went to her first missionary school for a month, and the younger one became a teenager. The idea of no longer having a "child" at home scares us a little, even though being a child doesn't depend on an ID card, but on the heart. And if that's the case, we can all choose to remain in childhood by choosing to be happy every day, to value small things, and to learn from everyone and everything.

And adolescence, contrary to what many say, is also wonderful! It's wonderful when we know we're still their best friends, when we know they run to us for advice, that they share their fears and dreams with us, and that they cry on our shoulder when nothing seems to make sense. It's wonderful, sometimes, to talk late into the night and wake up more tired in the morning, but with a heart full of joy, because we are still their confidants.

Adolescence is when everything we've taught so far comes to the surface, both the successes and the missteps. And what do we do with them? We celebrate the successes, recognizing that God was there, above us, teaching and guiding. And as for the missteps? We continue to strive, trust, and plead for wisdom, knowing that the same God who guided the successes can correct the missteps.

Our hearts ache with longing for the times that will never return, but they exult with joy to see that it's worth being parents—weak and flawed, yet fulfilled under the guidance of our Heavenly Father.

Rute Bazan

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