Austin's now in his sixth year (that's right, sixth) at CalPoly San Luis Obispo, completing what's been a marathon of highly strenuous classes requiring an enormous aptitude for crunching numbers (by God's grace) and a very, very long fuse of patience and stamina (also by God's grace). In the Spring of next year he hopes to graduate with undergraduate and graduate degrees in Mechanical Engineering. All of us remember all too well, what now seems like just yesterday, driving him down to college for his freshman year orientation and sobbing with alligator tears streaming down our cheeks all the way home under the stark realization that life in our home would never quite be the same without him. And so it is with all of our revolving doors of children in and out of our home. Life never is static, and as parents we are given an all encompassing and paramount privilege of raising children that are but momentary gifts to be given away someday.
Whenever we do reunite, if even only for a mere weekend like this last one, we comfortably pick up right where we left off and it's as if life were back in equilibrium again, if just only for a brief moment in time. Austin, and his girlfriend Meagan, came home last Friday night because he just felt like he needed a change of scenery away from the grind of studies, job interviews and ministry in order to be refreshed in his oh so familiar and safe home. Victoria and I find solace in knowing that our household could be a refuge for him. I remember feeling that way whenever I drove home for short stays with my folks after intense days of back-to-back studies, mid-terms and finals. For Austin, who's probably spent less time with our two little ones from China than any other family member, he's also rejuvenated by their presence, love and affection. He's so good with these girls, like a fish to water. And of course Barret always finds great joy in his big brother's bosom too.
On Sunday afternoon we sat in our backyard under the perfect temperature of a splendid Fall day, ate brunch, prayed together and then allowed him to take a power nap in the hammock before he and Meagan hit the road down south again. After baking a few chocolate chip cookies to take on the trip, enjoying the smell of those delectable morsels and giving each other good-bye hugs in our cozy kitchen, we all waved to them under the rose covered arbor outside our front door as they pulled away down the cul-de-sac, still struggling and longing for life to freeze in time without ever having distance between us again. That day will come again, but just not in this lifetime.
At Peace with the Prince,
Tom (& Victoria)
Whenever we do reunite, if even only for a mere weekend like this last one, we comfortably pick up right where we left off and it's as if life were back in equilibrium again, if just only for a brief moment in time. Austin, and his girlfriend Meagan, came home last Friday night because he just felt like he needed a change of scenery away from the grind of studies, job interviews and ministry in order to be refreshed in his oh so familiar and safe home. Victoria and I find solace in knowing that our household could be a refuge for him. I remember feeling that way whenever I drove home for short stays with my folks after intense days of back-to-back studies, mid-terms and finals. For Austin, who's probably spent less time with our two little ones from China than any other family member, he's also rejuvenated by their presence, love and affection. He's so good with these girls, like a fish to water. And of course Barret always finds great joy in his big brother's bosom too.
On Sunday afternoon we sat in our backyard under the perfect temperature of a splendid Fall day, ate brunch, prayed together and then allowed him to take a power nap in the hammock before he and Meagan hit the road down south again. After baking a few chocolate chip cookies to take on the trip, enjoying the smell of those delectable morsels and giving each other good-bye hugs in our cozy kitchen, we all waved to them under the rose covered arbor outside our front door as they pulled away down the cul-de-sac, still struggling and longing for life to freeze in time without ever having distance between us again. That day will come again, but just not in this lifetime.At Peace with the Prince,
Tom (& Victoria)
No comments:
Post a Comment