You guys, I had the coolest opportunity to witness something amazing this last week that is going to change me forever. And it happened driving down the interstate of all places.

As we were driving we kept coming up alongside the same station wagon. After a few times of us passing them and them passing us, I decided to check out who our driving buddies were.

It only took me a few moments to realize what was going on. It was a station wagon with an out of state license plate; it was stuffed to the brim with pillows, suitcases and totes, there were coffee cups in the driver and passenger seat cupholders, and there was a high school graduation tassel dangling from the rear view mirror.

But it was the two women who were sitting in the front seats who looked almost identical that really caught my eye. One was the spitting image of the other, only younger. They were clearly mother and daughter. And this mama was bringing her girl to college.

And as I took a closer look, I found my heart in a puddle. The daughter was in tears. As they continued to drive and talk, she was wiping the tears from her face with her hands, continuing to talk through her sobs. You could tell she was so upset. Then I saw it.

Her mama, keeping one hand on the steering wheel and her eyes on the road, reached over and put her hand on her daughter’s leg. The mama was crying, too. The daughter clung onto her mama’s hand and laid across the console and rested her head on her shoulder. They sped up in front of us and I didn’t see the pair again.

Mamas, August is a hard month for many of us. But especially for those of you dropping your babies off at college, hear me loud and clear… You. Still. Have. Time.

Time to lovingly help them pack their bags.

Time to fix them their favorite meal one last time.

Time to go for an evening walk around your block.

Time to sit with them on the couch with popcorn and a movie.

Time to speak wisdom and truth into their hearts.

And time to let them cry on your shoulder as you drop them off at their dorm room.

You still have time to be their mama. And once they’re at school, you will STILL be their mama. The one who took every moment to be the best mom you could so that this month, they could be ready to spread their wings and fly from your nest. The mama who gets to pray for them from afar and marvel at the amazing young person they have become.

You still have time.

And for those of us who are sending their littles to preschool for the first time this month, we only have THIS time. This short amount of time to get them ready for that packed to the brim car ride in August. Let’s make the most of our time, mamas. No matter how much or how little we have left of it.