Now for the next one...

Now that my son has settled into college, it is time to get busy with helping my daughter, a high school senior, make her college plans.  She is a spot of sunshine in our house.  Her capacity to love others has no limits.  Whether she is holding her baby niece or holding children in Nicaragua, she overflows with joy. It will not be easy to say goodbye to her next year, but she is so full of plans for her future it is hard for us to not also be excited to see her move to the next stage in her life.

Elizabeth just being herself

Going down memory lane

Today I spent over an hour experimenting with PhotoPeach and came to the realization that I have been very blessed!  As I scrolled through Facebook and photo albums, I realized my family and I have created a large quantity of amazing memories.  Rather than making me sad that my son is away at college, my trip through memorable photographs fills me with satisfaction and joy; my husband and I have accomplished many of our family goals.  We have taken our two children to see several national parks, historical monuments, and other places of amazing natural beauty.  We have also provided our children with several opportunities to learn about other cultures and minister to poor and hurting people.  My son now has the opportunity to continue to make memories.  He is meeting new people and learning about new subjects.  I am also confident that his days of traveling and serving others are not over.

 Family Memory Makers

Moving Forward

It has been over a month now since we dropped our son off to college.  It is interesting to reflect and recognize that we have all developed a comfortable new routine.  We are busy with our jobs, and he is busy with college.  We communicate almost daily, primarily through a brief text conversation.  I still miss him, but because he is enjoying college and doing so well, I am able to celebrate this new stage of life we have entered.  He really likes several of his classes and he loves the college schedule.  He is working hard, but does not appear to be overwhelmed.  He has made several close friendships and has a group of friends he studies with.  He has found a local church that he likes, and he has joined a Bible study led by his RAs.  I have discovered that my new role in his life is to send cookies, encouraging notes, and updates on the news back home.  I loves my new parenting responisbilities!

The following link goes to the site where I have found several good recipes for cookies that mail well.
http://www.tasteofhome.com/

Working Yourself out of a job!

When my children were still quite young, a trusted friend reflected to me, "The goal of every good parent is to work themselves out of a job."  Now that my first child has started college, I find myself contemplating her remark and trying to assess how successful I have been.

 My son can do his own laundry, but how often will he?  He is aware of what good nutrition is, but will he occasionally eat a vegetable?  He knows the value of a good nights sleep, but will he go to bed when he is tired and there is still plenty of activity going on?These are simple tasks, ones he has independently monitored for the last several years. I think he will do fine.

Now for the more important questions, the ones that determine character and impact his future:  Will he continue to practice integrity now that his dad and I are not there to hold him accountable?  Will he pursue excellence, even though we are no longer there to daily observe his effort?  Will he develop his faith, even when his peers choose to go another path?  These questions may not be definitevely answered for many more years, but as I think about them I feel more pride than concern.

A new adventure?

Andrew's College

Dropping one's child off at college is a very confusing event.  For the past twelve years, I have volunteered as a mentor for 11th and 12th grade girls.  I have had multiple conversations with girls about selecting colleges and leaving home.  I have also counseled many bewildered and grieving parents.  These experiences have left me quite familiar with how this transitional event impacts people.  However, I have just discovered that my interactions with other parents and their teens have not fully prepared me for personally participating in this common life occurance.  On August 23, I helped my son move into a dorm, his new home. I then said good bye and prepared to drive the ten hour trip back to my slightly emptier but much quieter home.  I was not exactly caught off guard, this day had been coming for 18 years. I was however not accurately anticipating how quickly the day would arrive and just how many emotions I would feel in response to that day.