Graduation Post Script

This afternoon the DVD of Natalie's graduation came in the mail. As I watched her Chamber Choir sing I'll Be Seeing You for the last time I have to admit I got a little choked up. But it wasn't until the larger Varsity Choir sang Hail Southwest High for the last time that the tears started. Toward the end of the song the seniors stepped out of the choir and returned to their seats leaving the underclassmen to finish the song. Natalie is in Mesquite, Texas on a mission trip right now, otherwise, she would be giving me a hard time. The tears were short lived, though, as I watched my fun loving daughter walk across the stage with a big white flower in her hair and a marble in her hand to give to her principal. (the seniors each handed the principal a marble as they went to shake his hand - one last practical joke)

Reflections on Transition

In Church on Sunday we were asked to fill out a survey about ourselves. For the first time ever I checked "empty nest" for my season in life. Those words have been cropping up a lot lately. I can't seem to get them off my mind.

When I look through the picture window in my living room I see the beautiful maple tree that we planted in the spring ten years ago. It was ten years ago this past February my father died. We planted that tree in his memory. I have watched it grow ever since. It is a refuge for several kinds of birds and every spring without fail we have baby birds. This spring is no different. It is not unusual to see a mama bird feeding her little fledgling. Unfortunately, it is also not unusual to see a fledgling that has fallen from the nest and is at a loss for what to do. Sometimes you can hear the mother bird let out a distress signal which is meant to call attention away from the fledgling and back to herself in an attempt to protect her baby. Last weekend my youngest found a fledgling that had fallen from the nest and had hopped into the shade underneath our old pick up truck. All of my girls are tenderhearted, and Natalie is no different. She wanted to do something to help the little bird so we did a little research and discovered that the best thing was to leave the little guy alone and wait for his mama to coach him back to the nest. We kept a watchful eye on him from a distance and as the afternoon wore on it was apparent that the mama bird was not able to rescue her baby. The little fledgling died underneath the old pickup truck. I thought to myself that the little bird left the comfort of his nest too soon.

Matthew 29 What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. 30 And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.

That got me to thinking about my own fledgling who is trying her wings. For a brief moment I wondered if she was leaving the nest too soon, but I think it is time for her to try her wings. I'm excited to see where they will take her. I take comfort in knowing that her Father will walk along side her. She is even more valuable to Him than she is to me.

P.S.

Some may think the picture of the empty nest looks lonely. I see it as inviting with room to share!

Reflections on Graduation

My youngest daughter graduated from highschool this past weekend. She will head off to college in August. She was born to my husband and me when I was 35. Her sisters are considerably older than she is. I've always thought of myself as being emotional. I cry at the movies, I cry when someone shares something sad with me. I cried at the wedding of my oldest daughter. I cried when she gave birth to her daughters and I cried when she lost her son 18 weeks into her pregnancy. I cried when my middle daughter moved across the country. I cried 4 years later when she moved back. I cried at the graduations of my two older daughters. But I did not cry when my youngest graduated. I didn't really even come close. I wonder why. I think I might actually be ready to move on to the next phase of my life. Can it be possible that I am ready to have an empty nest? I love my family and anyone will tell you that I am happiest when I am surrounded by them. I love cooking big meals and having to squeeze more chairs around the table. I love the sound of conversations, silly and serious, of sweet little girls saying grace, of sisters teasing each other and their mother mercilessly. I love it when my home is filled to the brim with my family and their friends, but I am also starting to like the idea of some solitude. I think I will enjoy time to read, to study, to pray and time to enjoy planning the next family get-together. I wonder what it will feel like to not have to actively mother my youngest any more. She has grown into a lovely young woman just like her sisters. As she goes off to college she won't need me the same way she did before. I think that's alright. I think I'm ready. Come August I'll know for sure.