Cutting the Cord

It was probably 6th grade when a parent said to me, "it is time to cut the cord," when I didn't want to leave Jacob home for 30 minutes to wait for a ride somewhere. I insisted on staying and waiting until I knew he was safely picked up and on his way. That phrase stuck with me but I never could head to it. For years, I continued to check in frequently, wait up at night, or at least wake up in a panic when I realized it was 1 am and I didn't hear him come in, and still have to know the schedule each day.

A few weeks ago, I was up before the sun making sure everything was packed and praying with Jacob as he was heading to Nashville with a group of 20 kids, a choir director and a few parents. And I wasn't one of them this time. Rob rolled out of bed as we were getting ready to leave and we all jumped in the car to drop him off at school for an early bus to LAX. With recent events and crazy news, I worried a little for his travel but more than that, I realized this was his first trip away from home for this long without us.

As parents we complain about technology and how it consumes our kids, but today, with many miles between us, I was thankful for the text I received to let me know that my guesstimate of a 25-pound bag was actually 47 pounds, barely making the maximum limit. I got a video from a mom on the plane of the kids singing, and I got a text when the plane landed. Ok, ok, you might be thinking "helicopter mom." Well, you'd be right if I actually ignored the request that I didn't go on the trip and went anyway. Or I followed the bus to the airport. I didn't do any of those things and I let him out of the car at school without embarrassing him. But believe me, I wanted to go on the trip, and I wanted to make sure he got to the airport safely.

Parenting has brought so much joy in our home. Sure, there are days when you look at your child and think, "What planet are you from?" or "Who raised you?" but most days are good. Every day, I look forward to coming home and checking in with my little man. Bugging him, as a mom should, about his day and who he talked to, and what did he do after school and what were his plans for the night or the weekend or life. And every day, he plays along. He shares the day, sits with me for dinner and sometimes hangs out to watch a few of our favorite shows.

In the last few months, some things have changed and I know it is time for me to let go a little more. With the end of his Senior year coming and college looming over us in a few months, I know life as we know it will change. As a mom, I have done everything I knew to teach him, train him and guide him in doing the right things. Now, it is time to let go and let him make his own decisions and trust that he will make good choices.

Parents, if there is anything I can share in this experience it is to embrace every moment, even the messy ones, because time really does fly by when you are raising kids. Enjoy the games, the plays, the Open Houses and everything in between. Take time to chat and sit and hang out. Stop. Breathe. Pray. God gave me this little guy 18 years ago and I never knew a love like this. Being a parent changes how you view the world and gives you a heart you couldn't have imagined before having children. 

“Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him.”

Psalm 127:3

Spontaneous Getaway

I am always up for a weekend road trip with the family, but with Jacob out of town, Rob and I took to the road without a real plan. Realizing we had the dog, we packed him up as well and found a pet-friendly hotel near San Jose. I never thought I would be one to take a dog on vacation to a hotel. Camping, yes! but a hotel? I was never too much of a dog-lover, even being accused at one point of kicking one at a friend's house.

After rearranging my stupidly-busy schedule to be done working by noon, we headed out midday Saturday. Quickly packing a few things in our backpacks, we headed north. Reading about a trail in San Jose that overlooked the Silicon Valley, we drove all day to get there. Driving through the rolling hills towards Hollister/San Jose and then through a small town with fruit stands at every corner makes you forget the hustle of the every day. In the jeep with the top off, the air was warm and the drive a relaxing way to spend a Saturday evening. With a quick stop at the outlets in Gilroy for a little shopping, we were almost to our destination for the night.


Waking up at the crack of dawn to catch a sunrise was our next adventure. Hoping this day would bring more excitement than dinner the night before, we checked out and headed to the top of the Open Space Reserve. Driving miles through a thick marine layer, we finally cleared the top and the sun was peeking out. At the top, we looked over a blanket of fluffy white landscape. As we waited, we watched the layers come and go and the sun come up. We didn't see the Silicon Valley but the morning air and view was still a sight to see.


If you only have a weekend, LA to San Jose can be a beautiful way to see a little country road, rolling hills, and the beach. After the sun came up, we headed South stopping at one of the fruit stands for avocados and raw honey from a local beekeeper. Our next stop was the quaint shops in San Luis Obispo for lunch. From there, we headed to the sandy dunes of Pismo to check out the ocean. A little cooler down the 101 but worth the drive and the sights.


Sometimes you gotta let loose and head out of town for a day or two to remind yourself you are human and that the world is bigger than the place you go to work every day and the life you live is as good as you want it to be. For me, heading out of town is an escape. An escape from the mundane, an escape from the chores, from the busyness. As many responsibilities I have, when I get in the passenger seat of the jeep, I am free. My mind wanders away from the negativity and the stresses of work to a place of peace and freedom. I can rest and appreciate the work I have done.

Whatever it is for you, find it and do it. For some, it may be taking a bike ride, walking the dog, or listening to your favorite playlist. Whatever it is, allow yourself to be free a little bit each day, even if only for an hour, take a moment to rest. You will breathe easier, think more clearly, and be you.

God rested on the last day for a reason. His work was done and he sat to enjoy it. Let us be people who enjoy the life we created. Let us sit. Let us be.

By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work.   

Genesis 2:2