Childless for the Moment

I felt childless today.  At least I did after lunch.  The day was beautiful and 60 degrees.  We had school finished before lunchtime, and I finished up with Jack around 1:30 pm.  The rest of the afternoon, I was all by myself.  Jack was doing his own thing, and the girls were outside doing this:

I think in some ways God is preparing me for a day that will come exactly 3 months from now.  Although, I rarely see Jordan, the thought of her walking out the door to start her own life makes me feel unsettled.  I've never been without her.  The longest we've been apart was during her 2-week trip to China in 2008.  So, I sat today and wondered what our lives will be like in 6 months when we will have 2 less children at home.  Seth has recently become employed, so even he rarely graces us with his presence.  At our house, leaving the nest is a slow process; one which I'm thankful for.  I realize that we still have more than a decade at home with our children, but I also realize that it is going by way too quickly.  There was a time when it seemed like their departure was always in the future.  Now, it is becoming reality.