Endings & Beginnings

This weekend we transported our sweet little Annie-girl to CalPOLY San Luis Obispo with her big brother Austin. It was a momentous affair, filled with the thrill of moving all of her things (and there's a lot of things) into her new house and room where she'll reside with four other women. It was also filled with the sorrow of letting go of yet another season of life with another one of our children and allowing them to test fly their newly formed wings. There's a part of you that feels they're never really ready (that's just being a parent), and there's the other part of you that feels that if you don't let them go then their wings will be clipped for life. Although the time is right, it still hurts. We'll miss our girl immensely. I could feel that I was on the cusp of tears during the last half hour before we pulled out of her driveway, but I forced myself to maintain composure. (Unlike our farewell to Austin five years ago when the entire family blubbered their way home all the way up Highway 101. That was quite a pathetic sight.) Besides, I knew it wouldn't help matters much anyway. The most tender moment during the weekend was when Poppy, without guile or prompting, leaned over to Annie and said with her high-pitched but soft voice, "Don't worry Annie, Austin will take good care of you." Knowing that Austin's there does give us a strong sense of comfort, not only because he will in deed take good care of her, but also because she'll find great solace in her big brother. We're glad they're together this year. Another poignant moment came when last night, after our four hour drive back home, Barret said to Victoria and me, "Gosh, it's going to be weird around here without Annie. I already feel kind of sad about it." Victoria and I quickly reminded him that he's not alone; there's two little ankle biters ready to reek plenty of havoc and interruption into his few and far between moments of solitude.

Time to move on, pray, pray, and then pray some more.

Somberly in Christ,

Tom (& Victoria)