Friday, July 06, 2007

Day 18- Spokane, WA - Goodbyes
July 2, 2007

Quote of the Day:
“Christmas…..see you at Christmas!”

I can’t find the entry for this day….but I can remember. This is the day that both Mom and I began to discuss Christmas. Mom has taken some criticism in her life for loving Christmas so much. I’m here to let the secret out….it’s not that mom is terribly commercially minded. It’s the people. I went away to boarding school in 9th grade. Will was in 7th grade and I believe Nate was in 3rd grade. Christmas was Mom’s way of looking ahead in the midst of goodbyes….I get that now. ::snort::

I’ve written before about Goodbyes. This day was filled with beneficial leave takings….and I know in my spirit and mind that they ARE beneficial; but my heart still longs to have all my babies at home. Hiding somewhere in the back of mind, very near the surface of consciousness is the awe of watching ministry flow through their lives and I am content to have them gone. Though rejoicing that Cy is spending another year near us. ::snort::

God so lovingly set several in our paths at conference who had words to say about the depth of love our children have for God. I had been feeling like a bit of a failure in a few parenting areas - though I kept telling myself our goal has always been the heart and that was fine so we were o.k. Having several comment on the hearts of our children was God's way of reminding me that He knows where the academic gaps are and He'll help our young adults fill them if/when it is needed. I'd talked with a friend from my childhood who is homeschooling and she has her children doing the most awesome things in their local support group.....shew...and I had begun to feel like I'd wasted years of academic preparation.....SHE was one who said that God shines so brightly through the children. I always say that it's all the grace of God covering our failures....but my mentor from youth days took me aside and said, "YES - it IS God's grace. BUT you and Mike have done things that set the framework for your children to be "different" (my word)" and basically I should use those opportunities when folks are telling me what "a great parent" I am to share some of the framework....still stressing the grace of God that operates in our lives, our children's lives, and our parenting.

I woke up in tears the morning after convention ended. I’d said many goodbyes to old friends the day before. I was grieving the loss of the twins, like I haven’t in weeks. I’m sure compounded by the fact that I would have to say goodbye to the girls and my parents before the day was over.

I spent the a.m. doing laundry and cleaning the trailer. Mike took the little ones to the playground. Jamin and Jared have kept up their workout routines and spent time enjoying a last run in Washington. I had let it be known far and wide that I was not content to leave WA without seeing the girls again. They had not been at the last night of conference. They'd been at the church setting up for the Master's convention to begin the next day. Nicholas and Dewey (fellow MCers) assured me that there would be a way to see the girls for a last hug before we left....but we weren't sure how or when. Mike thought we'd simply go interupt if we hadn't seen them before Monday afternoon.

The girls called at about noon and had a two hour break in their Master’s Commission conference. They asked us to meet them at the church with a picnic lunch. The church has a field and a bit of trees etc and so we met their and had a picnic. What an awesome way for God to work this small detail out for my mama heart. The time was sweet - and bitter. ::snort:: PHOTO

We called Mom and Dad and spent the rest of the day with them. We went to Manito park again. We were thrilled to see the mama duck with her ducklings IN THE WATER. We went to some gorgeous Japanese gardens. PHOTO We went out for dinner at Pizza Hut. We had leftovers so we put it all in a box, we all signed the box, and we planned to leave our gift at the girls’ car. We knew they were in meetings and we wouldn’t see them, but we imagined their surprise to find a box of pizza with sweet notes on the box for them. Along the way I said it was too bad we didn’t have some soap so w could leave a message on the car’s windows. Mike stopped at Target and I found soap and T.P. The rest is history. We feared that a group of MC students would drive out to the van in the night - but they were too tired. Krista did call and said that when they came out someone said, “Your car - who did your car?” and she KNEW. She thought it hilarious as other students that day had been quizzing her about WHERE she got her mischievous bent as Bre isn’t one for pranks…..Krista told them that Bre is the exception - but they didn’t believe her. After all, Mike is terribly intimidating and serious. Mike and I are seasoned MINISTERS. Her grandparents are retired missionaries. They are now convinced. G’ma and G’pa even signed the window. ::snort:: PHOTOS

Of course, now Arielle and Nolan are wanting to do EVERYONE’S cars as it was so much fun! Mom explained to them that you only do the cars of folks you really love and know that it wouldn’t hurt their feelings. As Mom and Dad walked into the hotel, after our last goodbye of the day, Nolan said, “Let’s do THEIR car!” We didn’t. But maybe we should have. ::snort::

Photos are NOT loading here at the apartment. I'll have to load a bunch of photos the next time we are at the BX.....which we have to go back to because we wanted to eat at Charley's in Bre's memory (her first job) and they were closing last night and wouldn't feed us. ::snort::

5 comments:

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

HI:

Dad says we would have managed if the kids would have done our car. :) Wonder what the hotel would have thought. :):):):)

l/p

DeEtta @ Courageous Joy said...

Mom had to delete your post as it had our name in it.....agree with all you say!

Jodi said...

LOLOLOL about the girls car. You're such a fun family!

Glad to hear you got to see the girls one last time before heading on to AK.

Cynthia said...

I've also had moments of wishing we had finished more of our academic goals.. however, dd has turned out to be a wonderful God loving young lady and it seems every other day I'm bumping into someone who says they want their kids to turn out just like her. They see her character and that's what noticed... no one will ever know that she never really finished the logic program (LOL), but our boss tells us that she is the only high schooler they've ever hired that could work independently! Anyway... just wanting to let you know that I've been having some of the same thoughts....I'll probably feel the same way with each of our kids since we'll never do ALL Of the things I'd like for us to do. There would never be enough time.