Returning home from a five days out of town, I was startled to see that the boys were as tall as they are. As a parent, although days often seemed long and tedious, the unsteady but 
unstoppable growth of children offered evidence that time was moving very quickly. My children’s grandparents observed the changes in their grandchildren at a distance, without benefit of Skype, FaceTime or even digital pictures via email. Great Grandmother Ziegler loved to sew for the girls but put her needle aside when she realized that the clothes were outgrown before they were received. 
I know that I am very lucky to observe every stage of the boys’ development. With their mother out of town, I have noted their physical maturity but also emotional and spiritual. As I see the boys walk away toward school, the lyrics of the old song stir up a bit of heartache: where are you going, my little one?
Which stage of your child or grandchild’s development was most meaningful to you?
