[blparent] supportive messages

[sharon howerton]

Jo Elizabeth, glad you and yours are OK but sad to think about the families and don't we wish we could protect our children. Since mine are grown and no one here would know them, I can say this. My youngest son announced to his brother and me yesterday that he had proposed to his girl friend Denise; Kevin is 26 and Denise soon will be. She is a wonderful girl. My older son had come home briefly, he has been spending a lot of time with his girl friend (he is 29-she is much older). When he came out of the shower as he was preparing to go to work, he was crying and said his girl friend was moving to Texas in September. I asked if he was going to go with her; he said no. I don't know if she asked him, but if anyone knows Brendan well, we know that after he got out of the Navy and came back, he said he would never leave Chicago again. This is the second time Brendan has been involved with someone who moved hundreds of miles away. How many times I have prayed and wished I could go back so many years and make Brendan's life better, but I can't. Kevin is a stronger young man emotionally, but Brendan has always been more sensitive and had a rough time growing up and even as an adult, in my opinion. We never stop being Mom and never stop wanting to protect and care for our children, I think. Can you believe all this came out in the space of about 15 minutes! How many times I have just had to put them in God's hands and simply just be there for them.
Sharon