Apron strings

Hats.
I have worn many over the years.
The first was for my wedding.


This was in the 80's and very princess Di! I had 4 wonderful years with the title of wife only.

Over the next several years I wore many hats, changing as the seasons changed in my little family and I took on a new title of wife and mother now.

As a young mother I became storyteller extraordinaire, nurse maid, vomit cleaner and diaper changer,  graduating to chauffeur, chef, playmate and referee. I wore a cowboy hat for the horse years and a motorcycle helmet for the horsepower years.
I was the loudest cheerleader as a gymnastics, track, basketball, wrestling, swimming, band buddy and soccer mom.

I have been the teachers aid and a lunch buddy.
Served on the PTA, along with being an Awana and life group leader.

My favorite hat though, really isn't a hat at all but an apron.
My apron has many memories stained on it from making play dough, melty beads and shrinky dinks to breakfast, lunch and dinner and lots of cookies and muffins along the way.

My apron is held together with one string around the neck and two fastened around my waist.
As my children grew from a little family to three big kids my apron strings were being tugged on and starting to fray at the seams. One day I would need to cut the proverbial apron strings but living in denial as long as possible.


The first string to fray, the apple of our eye, our oldest and trail blazer, Maddy Lynn. We made all our mistakes on her. This girl was born with one foot out the door, the independent first born, ready to save the world. At the very mature age of 18 we left her in Southern California. Eager to embark on this new adventure known to us all as college. I cried all the way from LA to Fresno. All the while having an internal tug of war, wanting to stitch back the apron string that was now needing to be cut.

Snip

My apron was not fitting as well now with only one string around the waist and one around the neck. I did however make do with an apron that still had several more good years left in it.


The second string to fray, our sugarpie, little middle, Katelin. This girl is textbook middle child. Quietly taking everything in, then confidently sharing some insight that is well beyond her years in knowledge. She too at the astute age of 18 announced her plans to follow the trailblazer and take up residence in So. Cal. This time I cried all the way home. We did fly however, so to be accurate, it was about the same amount of crying time. Remembering my previous desire to keep the last waist string attached, I quietly and confidently cut that string too.

Snip

My apron was now only being held by the neck string. Although it was a little baggy and didn't provide much in the way of protection, I cherished every moment in that raggy baggy apron. Knowing I really only had 24 months until the  inevitable.


The third and last string to fray, our firecracker, keep you on your toes, Zach Attack. This man, eager to learn how all things work, from electronics to machinery; cars to guns and everything in between. If it happens to blow up, hey all the better! He, being a trailblazer himself is blazing a new trail at the very tip of Washington. This string is perhaps the most difficult to cut, for it not only symbolizes the end of this chapter for him but the end of the entire book for our family. Although the most difficult, the most important too. From the moment the doctor handed me that frail little 5 pound bundle we knew we wanted to raise a man, a manly man, so at the ripe age of 18 he can stand shoulder to shoulder with other men of  noble character. To be a man of integrity with a heart for Jesus. The last string I slowly, methodically and intentionally cut.

Snip

My apron is now no longer usable. It served it's purpose well. It may have a new life to dry my tears as I haven't stopped crying yet. My apron strings have now changed to heart strings. Those I never have to cut and they have great streachability.

The moral of this story, once your apron no longer has strings, I guess you no longer have to cook dinner!

Really though, my life verse is so fitting at this and every season.
Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me...even letting them go.