What’s in a room?

I walked into my soon to be 11-year-olds bedroom the other day and it was a mess. Clothes, candy wrappers and electronics thrown everywhere, bed unmade, and it smelled of stinky pre-teen boys. I was about to yell for him to clean it up, but I didn’t. I stopped dead in my tracks and could feel my eyes weld up with tears. If you are a mother, you know that there are moments where emotions hit you when you least expect it. For me, it was one of those moments.

What’s in a room?

This room was the room of a boy about to embark on a new phase of life. He starts middle school next school year and is turning into a pre-teen boy. This room was a nursery just yesterday. Where did my baby go?

I thought about what I was doing this time 11 years ago. I was 8 months pregnant and putting the finishing touches on his nursery anxiously waiting his arrival. I have three children and decorating their rooms for the first time has been one of the biggest joys of being their parent. I love to sit in their room, look around and see how it has become them. What started out as my vision slowly turns into their own expression of their space.

For my oldest boy, I thought back to those days when I was trying to decide on puppies or sheep? Blue or green? What rocker would we use? Should the crib sheet be the same color as the changing table sheet? These details meant nothing to a baby but to his mama they were everything. It was the first act in our home that made it real. Weather you have a large home with a room for each of your children or a small apartment where they share rooms, building their space is a sentimental part of pregnancy. Bringing the baby home to their first bed, showing them their closet with clothing that was gifted or handed down, and their little stuffed animals lined up on the dresser is something every mother dream of when she first realizes she’s pregnant. Let’s not even talk about the handmade blanket from a beloved family member draped over the crib. These earthly possessions symbolize that a gift from God was on it’s way.

So, as I sit here looking at this messy room, I remember the toys that used to be on the floor. Now I notice the video games and headphones. I am thankful that God has given me these almost 11 years with him and pray for a lifetime more. I am thankful I had the opportunity to create his first room and clean up his messy room now.

What’s in a room?

I would say it’s the passing of time in front of my eyes.

Stefanie