Becoming a Grown Up...is it possible?

The other day on Doing Life with the Traceys we talked about when you knew that you were a grown up and we heard a lot of great stories. I think most of us definitely grew up in a hurry when we became parents, don't you? There's just something about realizing you are now responsible - COMPLETELY responsible - for a teeny, tiny, helpless human being that makes you braver somehow. I would say I fit into the category of people who GREW UP a lot at that point in life. It was just a little later for me than most since I didn't become a Mommy until I was 35!

But, does this mean that I am officially a GROWN up? I mean, is that really a valid term...GROWN up? Does that mean that at some point the growing has come to an end? I don't think so. I mean, physically, yes, the growing UP one day ends. (Unfortunately for me, the growing OUT never really seems to end.) But, when it comes to growing in other ways...mentally, emotionally, and especially spiritually, does the growing up ever end? I sure hope not. And, what about the desire for new adventures, thrill seeking, and risk taking?! I don't want that part of my life to ever stop. How about you?

I guess we could go with the term ADULT instead of GROWN UP. But, that can have some negative connotations, can't it? I tried to explain to Alyssa that she couldn't watch a movie the other day because it was an ADULT film. And, well, that just sounded wrong. Now I tell her that some movies are for Mommies and Daddies and not for kiddos that are just 3 1/2 years old. So, for this and other various reasons, I don't think ADULT quite describes what I've become at this point in life either. No, I think we need to coin a new term altogether.

I think we should call ourselves grow-ING ups. We're at that stage where we are older, more responsbile, and (hopefully) wiser. But, come on, we're not DONE growing! Whether we're 25, 35, 65, or 105...there's so much more to come. There's so much more life to experience and so much more growing to do. We can learn to open our hearts just a little more. We can learn to love just a little more. And, we can always learn more of God and experience more of a real relationship with Him.

Maybe this all has something to do with my final birthday in my 30's staring me right in the face. Maybe not. ;)

So, what do you think? Will you join me in becoming a grow-ING up?