Act II, Scene I
It’s a big day today. A day of milestone birthdays in our house. Maddie is turning 18, and Izzy is turning 16. Yes, we have two children, and they both share the same birthday. To ask where has the time gone, is silly. I’ve had a front row seat to every age, stage, and phase of their beautiful, young lives. Some of the ages, stages, and phases I’ve wished to pass quickly, and others I’ve wanted to linger a little longer. These two milestones birthdays are different, though. I feel like I’m being moved from my comfortable, gently worn, front row seat, to one near the back.
This backrow seat is different. I can’t really see these cute characters on the big stage of life as well as I did from the front. I’ve noticed for a while they aren’t looking at me as much as they used to for cues. They’re developing their own understanding of each scene life throws at them. And, their audience is expanding. They are looking to other influences to direct them, not just their dad and me.
But it’s okay. I promise, I’m okay. I feel good about this next chapter of life for each of them. By no means has it been a picnic getting here, and I’ve heard it won’t be all roses and sunshine going forward either, but right now I’m good with pausing here for a moment, and taking in the last 18 years.
Like that very dark period three years ago when Maddie was caught in the grip of anxiety. Her innocent, young life just kind of stopped for a few months, and we wondered if she would get through her freshman year, or high school for that matter. Now, as I write this, she is in Guatemala serving on a mission’s trip with her school, and she will be graduating in a few short months. You can read her beautiful, redemptive story here.
Then there’s Izzy, and the time she had a grand idea to make Voodoo dolls for her closest friends and family. You can read about that here. Or the time she enjoyed everything about riding horses, but needed to learn a thing or two about responsibility. You can read about that incident here. And then one day things just kind of came together. I saw a transformation right before my eyes. This young girl who seemed to challenge every parenting strategy I had started growing up. You can read about that here.
Every good story has a catchy opening scene, right? When Madeline Paige made her debut after 23 hours of labor, she had the most calm expression on her face. She was so alert, and looked all around the birthing room, as if she wanted to know who was there to welcome her to the world. To this day Maddie can read a room, and all those in it, like no one else I know. She has a quiet strength about her that brings a sense of peace and calmness to any situation. There is so much going on behind those eyes of hers. Sometimes I want more of a glimpse than she’s willing to give, but I trust that she has a lot more figured out than I give her credit for.
Exactly two years later Isabelle Rose made her entrance. That girl about killed me in the process. She came on the scene with fierceness, and a full head of black hair. She made sure she was heard too. A few years later she fondly earned the nickname Izzy. Let’s face it, anyone who knows her knows she’s just more of an Izzy than an Isabelle. To this day she approaches life with fierceness. She is a born truth teller, and sometimes that truth comes with a price. She loves deeply and holds those she loves closely.
And so, as the mom of these two amazing humans, this day is a big day. It’s been a day of reflection and nostalgia for me. But sometimes it’s important to look back; to understand where you’ve come from, so you can face the next act and the following scenes with confidence. The show is not over. There is so much more of the story to be told. And I can’t wait to watch it all unfold. I believe my seat for this show will continue to change. Sometimes I’ll be near the front; sometimes near the back; but I will always, always be fully present for these two epic stories.
Happy Birthday Maddie and Izzy! You are loved more than you could know.
