Three years ago, Joshua went off to college in Tennessee. We thought we would see him for summers and Christmas holidays, but he’s actually been very busy and seldom home. Last summer, he spent two months on a mission trip to Turkey. The winter before that, he was on a shorter-term trip to Germany. The summer before that, he traveled the Midwest as a counselor with Worldview Academy. This summer, he will pursue a research fellowship for his Physics major, so he’ll be in Waco, TX for ten weeks, studying with a Physics professor at Baylor.
Kayaking on American Lake
As much as you expect your children to grow up and enjoy their own lives, you don’t necessarily want them to actually do it. Between weddings, mission trips, summer jobs and school, there just hasn’t been much time to connect with Joshua.
After he finished school this Spring, Joshua served as Best Man in a roommate’s wedding. Then there was a week of idle time before he had to report to Baylor.
“Bring home my baby,” Kathy insisted tearfully.
“It seems a waste, for only a week,” I growled, a little resentfully. Spending money always makes me a little gruff.
Joshua takes a fond farewell from his sisters …
But Kathy persisted, and Joshua hinted that he was willing to grace us with his presence, so I dug out my frequent-flier miles, and found him a flight home.
I’m glad I did. He seemed to have had a lovely visit, and we all got some time with him. It felt good to be a family with five kids again, even if a lot of the ‘kids’ are starting to be grown-ups.
A Boy and Two Moms
I drove Joshua to the airport tonight, and he’s off for an adventure in Texas. I can’t wait to see him again (briefly) in August and hear all his stories of his life as a Texan physics researcher.
Project 365, Day 149
Tim
Wow. Thanks for the tears so early on a Saturday am. Love that kid. But, then again, I love all your kids. <3
And this graduating from parenting (as a 2nd mom only so far…) is hard!! sniff sniff
Exactly my sentiments: We hope to rear them to be people we enjoy, and we equip them to live apart from us, but then they actually go off on their own, live apart from us and we don’t get to enjoy their company. This is definitely a double-edged life.
Good luck in TX, Josh!
Thanks for sharing your family via the blog. It’s been fun to watch them grow and hardly seems possible Joshua and Rachel are both flying solo at college.
So happy you were able to bring him home for a week.