How time flies..

I can't believe it!!! My oldest is 16 years old. ( had him when I was 12 HA HA) My goodness I feel like life flies by and I can just hang on and barely keep up. I most feel like this when I look at my sons. I can't tell you how many times I thought man I can wait until the terrible twos are over and then the trying three's, flabbergasting fours ect.. you get my drift. Now I find myself wondering when the moody teen years will pass. But it hit me the other day... in just two short years this child of mine will be; according to our laws; a man and old enough to lay down his life for our country and I find myself wishing for those terrible two and trying three's just to be able to hold on to him and keep him safe. My husband has a few years until retirement and I can't imagine the fear that will grip me if one of my sons joins the military. You spend so many years (their whole life) protecting them and keeping them out of harms way then you have to let them go out into the world to make their way. Don't get me wrong the Army has been good to us. It's given us a great life. I am so proud of my husband and all Soldier's and I know that they are all someone's baby. But the thought of MY babies making that same sacrifice strikes fear in my core. My husband always said he fought in the hope that our sons would never have to, unfortunately like many generations before ours this is not going to be the reality. So hang on ladies.. We are raising the next generation of leaders. Hopefully they will do better than we did and bring peace to our troubled world.