Today I write to you from the raw space that lies within my broken heart. It is a break that I knew was coming. A space where pain and joy seem to weave themselves together until the lines are almost indistinguishable.

For the past three weeks most of my days have been spent hearing the laughter, giggles, and sometimes yelling voices of my four daughters, son-in-law, and husband.

We have eaten, traveled, eaten, drank a gazillion pots of coffee, sang through the Frozen Sing Along movie, ridden in a train, gone to museums, eaten, taken hikes, gone to brunch, played in the snow…have I mentioned eaten? We have been together for most of those days. It has been wonderful.

One daughter in still in high school and lives at home while the others are spread out. One is about an hour away, one is on the east coast, and the other and her husband live overseas. All being together for so long was a delightful treat for this mama’s heart. We had been looking forward to and planning this time since before Christmas and it was so, so good.

Last Friday, the kids began their journeys home. One on Friday night, one on Sunday, and the other two boarded their flight yesterday. And as the house slowly cleared out, I sat in the living room today and cried. Sobbed would probably be a more accurate description.