I am so thrilled! I am out for school for AN ENTIRE MONTH! If you were in my house when I turned in my final paper, you would have seen something like this:
There is something so awesome about passing a milemarker, even if you're not that close to the finishline. It keeps you movin' and it's always nice to have an excuse to take a little breather, reset, refocus, and prepare for the next leg of the race (I say that like I actually ever run on purpose, did any of you fall for that?) I am loving checking these short but intense five-week courses off my list one at a time. Just knowing that some progress has been made gives me hope to keep on running. Making it to Christmas break feels just plain amazing.
I'm super happy that I have some time to kick back and enjoy the Christmas season with my family. I intend to be purposefully present this year- I'm leaving the gift giving frenzy to people with more time and money than I have, and settling for less under the tree in exchange for richer memories. I don't want to focus so much on the trying to push the pace that I miss the good stuff along the way.
The thing is, though sometimes it feels like I'm on a slow pace uphill in regard to my schooling, my kids are picking up speed. The boy is preparing for his second semester of his JUNIOR YEAR and the girls are already on the better side of the awkward twelves. My conversations with my son are often about careers and college and making all those big life choices. My daughters are amazing me with their new, more mature selves (inside and out) and how gracefully they're handling all the changes they're facing. I keep watching milestone after milestone whiz by and realizing that it won't be long before all three start running their own race.
Although that could sound a little melancholy for a post that began with the Peanuts Gang doing the happy dance, I have to say that I don't really feel all that sad at all. Though part of me would like to keep them all close, there's something about this that just feels right. It's right that they are growing up, it's right that they are becoming more independent, making plans and choices independent of mine, it's right that they are becoming the people that God created them to be... this is what I've been praying for all along. How could I ask for anything more? All this time I spend with these guys, all I've invested... it's not for me to keep for myself, it's to turn over to God for him to use for his Glory. If my children, by His grace, run up ahead of me- I shouldn't be sad that they're out of my control as long as they're headed on the path that God has placed before them. The more I realize that these kids aren't mine to keep as trophies, the more enthusiastically I'll be able to cheer them on when it's my time to watch from the sidelines.
And so, I'll wind up this all-too-wordy-extra-rusty-way-too-out-of-practice blog post with this scripture and a promise to not be a stranger... I intend to stop by this spot often over this break, and I hope to see you here- it feels great to be back- even for a few weeks.
love to all,
There is something so awesome about passing a milemarker, even if you're not that close to the finishline. It keeps you movin' and it's always nice to have an excuse to take a little breather, reset, refocus, and prepare for the next leg of the race (I say that like I actually ever run on purpose, did any of you fall for that?) I am loving checking these short but intense five-week courses off my list one at a time. Just knowing that some progress has been made gives me hope to keep on running. Making it to Christmas break feels just plain amazing.
I'm super happy that I have some time to kick back and enjoy the Christmas season with my family. I intend to be purposefully present this year- I'm leaving the gift giving frenzy to people with more time and money than I have, and settling for less under the tree in exchange for richer memories. I don't want to focus so much on the trying to push the pace that I miss the good stuff along the way.
The thing is, though sometimes it feels like I'm on a slow pace uphill in regard to my schooling, my kids are picking up speed. The boy is preparing for his second semester of his JUNIOR YEAR and the girls are already on the better side of the awkward twelves. My conversations with my son are often about careers and college and making all those big life choices. My daughters are amazing me with their new, more mature selves (inside and out) and how gracefully they're handling all the changes they're facing. I keep watching milestone after milestone whiz by and realizing that it won't be long before all three start running their own race.
Although that could sound a little melancholy for a post that began with the Peanuts Gang doing the happy dance, I have to say that I don't really feel all that sad at all. Though part of me would like to keep them all close, there's something about this that just feels right. It's right that they are growing up, it's right that they are becoming more independent, making plans and choices independent of mine, it's right that they are becoming the people that God created them to be... this is what I've been praying for all along. How could I ask for anything more? All this time I spend with these guys, all I've invested... it's not for me to keep for myself, it's to turn over to God for him to use for his Glory. If my children, by His grace, run up ahead of me- I shouldn't be sad that they're out of my control as long as they're headed on the path that God has placed before them. The more I realize that these kids aren't mine to keep as trophies, the more enthusiastically I'll be able to cheer them on when it's my time to watch from the sidelines.
And so, I'll wind up this all-too-wordy-extra-rusty-way-too-out-of-practice blog post with this scripture and a promise to not be a stranger... I intend to stop by this spot often over this break, and I hope to see you here- it feels great to be back- even for a few weeks.
Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless.
Philippians 2:16
love to all,
4 comments:
Something so RIGHT about this post & about you being in the bloggy saddle again. xxxooo
I LOVE that second to last paragraph! We really are raising adults but sometimes it IS sad. I'm going to save that paragraph to encourage myself sometime down the road. Thank you and enjoy your breaK!
What a gift to watch our children grow! I'm in the boat with you!
I've MISSED you!! :)
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