Times they are a changing around the Knox household. My youngest son informed me today that his older brother would not be home for Thanksgiving this year. Randall is spending the fall semester at the Los Angeles Film Institute, so he will be eating his turkey in California when November rolls around. That will mark the first time since we started our family that we have not all been together for a major holiday. I am not sure I am ready for that transition, but times are a changing.

My middle son, Daniel, is counseling at Royal Family Kids Camp this week.  The mission of Royal Family Kids camp is to create positive memories for abused and neglected children ages 7-11, in a one-week camp experience. Daniel will be responsible for 2 eight year old boys for an entire week at camp. My job at Royal Family this week is to be a relief counselor. I will arrive at 7:00 and stay a couple of hours, so the counselors can get a break. As it turns out, I will be relieving Daniel and his counseling partner this week. That too is a first for me. But let me be reminded times are a changing.

This summer Mitchell’s brothers have taken turns hauling him around. But that will not be the case next summer. He will at least be eligible to have a driver’s license next summer. That is sort of scary, but I might as well be prepared. Times they are a changing.

As new chapters open in the lives of my children, I find that my role does not cease. It simply changes. My intent is to serve my kids and serve them well. But gone is the day when Randall prided himself in not taking a shower for a week at camp. The day has long since past when Daniel woke me up at the crack of dawn to play hot-wheels cars with him. Mitchell will no longer allow his brothers to lock him in the closet when parents are absent from the house, because times are a changing.

I am excited about camp this week. Watching one of my boys serve two kids who have most likely been removed from their home because of abuse is a good thing. I am confident he will do better than me in such a context. And I must realize that someday we will gather in Randall’s home for Thanksgiving. And that will be exciting too. Changing times are not so bad after all!