Our last baby chick flew the coop this past weekend. Dale and I haven’t been without one of our girls at home for more than 2 days in almost 30 years. We always wanted them with us. We never took a trip without them. Even if we went out to eat, we went together. We were one. I loved making hot breakfasts, talking in the kitchen, and tucking them in at the end of the day–every day.

You’ll think I’m silly for this…and I am! Even to this day, I call Rachael and Ellie my newborn babies when I hug them! They don’t seem to mind. As a matter of a fact, one day just a couple of weeks ago Rachael heard me say it to Ellie and said, “Hey, I’m your newborn baby!” I smiled and said, “Aw, Rachael, you are my newborn baby, too.” It seems it was just yesterday that they were my babies.

Taking Ellie to college and leaving her on VCU’s campus was hard, but the good news is she’s living with Rachael (our 4th daughter). And Hannah (our 3rd daughter) and her husband, Jake, only live 5 minutes away.

Yesterday will be permanently engraved in my mama heart. Hannah had us all over for lunch after church in their adorable apartment. She invited a gal who didn’t know Jesus or anything about the Bible to come, too. We ate homemade pot roast, talked about the love of Jesus, and prayed together. It was the greatest ever. The lunch was over, and Hannah took her guest back to her home while we washed the dishes.

It was time for us to leave for home, but Rachael wanted to show us her new studio. Her church had bought an old beautiful church building and given a few artists studio rooms. Hannah, Rachael, Ellie, Dale and I all went to see it. As we were walking down the hall to get to it, we were having so much fun laughing that someone came to see what was going on. The studio was large and stunning: old hardwood floors, tall windows, two adjoining rooms for storage, and a possible sound studio attached to the big room. While we were all talking, all of a suddden as I looked at Hannah, Rachael and Ellie I could feel inexpressible joy pounding my heart–the fruit of many years stood beautiful in front of me. They walk with Him, and it is good.

Dale and I drove home blessed.

I missed making Ellie’s breakfast this morning, talking to her in the kitchen, and even seeing her clothes on the floor.

The nest is empty. I’m not going to lie…I am lonely for her. But God confirmed to me yesterday: It is good.