I just dropped Jennifer and Patrick off at the train station which left me alone with my thoughts for a good 45 minutes to an hour on the drive back home. As I looked at the two of them, both college graduates, newly engaged, about to hop on a train to Chicago (where Patrick lives and Jen just visits) I thought to myself, "Oh, to be young with so much of their lives yet to live." You can usually find Jennifer with a Bride's magazine under her arm these days... planning her wedding is her new obsession.
Jordanne just sent out her "Save the date" cards and made her upcoming wedding "official". She has most of her wedding plans finalized already and the time is fast approaching for the start of their married life. Maybe knowing the fact that it was going to be our last Christmas with unmarried kids made this Christmas more special or cherished or savored. I just know that it will be different next year because they will be starting their own traditions and probably won't be sleeping at our house on Christmas morning. Even though Jen and Ryan have their own place, they both came home for Christmas Eve and slept here to be a part of the Christmas morning excitement. Anyways...next year will be different and that's okay too.
While I drove across M13 alone with my thoughts, I felt optimistic for the upcoming year. A new year always gives me a feeling of hope and encouragement...there's so much promise of what lies ahead... kinda like the feeling you get at the start of a new school year, or cracking open a brand new book. It occurred to me that if I was so calm and serene this Christmas because I was more organized, then imagine how exciting planning two weddings can be. Instead of having a feeling of dread (mainly worrying about how we will afford these weddings) I am going to embrace these days and enjoy the excitement with my girls. I am really looking forward to planning bridal showers and watching it all unfold.
Joshua has an exciting year ahead for him too, because right now is when the college football recruiters are trying to get him to pay an official visit to their school. The offers are starting and he will have to make a big decision where he wants to go to college pretty soon. He will have to get registered with the NCAA clearinghouse and make this dream a reality. He has to decide which field of study he wants to pursue and consider his options. Right now, he is saying he wants to go into Occupational Therapy, and it looks like our local university is going to be his best option (academically and financially). This is fine by me. He still wants to hear what kind of offers the other schools want to make and weigh out his options.
Ryan is busy filling out applications to grad school and will be having to make some decisions with his life pretty soon too. He may decide to move to Grand Rapids or Kalamazoo and have a fresh start to his second phase of his education. Right now he has been interning at a children's therapy place where they work with special needs kids. It has been nice to see him find his niche in life and I enjoy hearing about his journey along the way. I think he will be well suited as an Occupational therapist...that is, if he can finally pass his Anatomy and physiology class. (*wink...just kiddin' Ry.)
I hate to say it but I'm still having a hard time realizing that Jacob is growing up too fast. He is this giant man-child at 16 and seems to be spending an awful lot of time on his phone either talking or texting with his friends and girlfriend. (a girl I still have not officially met.) Boys are all about making the girl comfortable in their own space first before they bring them home to their crazy house with all the people around. Besides that, it might mean that Jake would have to actually clean his room in case Mady walked past his messy room on the way to the bathroom.
Anyways...my hopes and dreams for 2009??? Health, happiness, and a joy filled new year. A year of positive changes and prosperity. A year for Pat to feel secure in his job in the auto industry and for me to learn how to accept the changes that lie ahead. For God to richly bless us with His peace and grace. A year to cherish our family and grow in our faith.
...and on that note, I say a great big AMEN to that.
1 comment:
AMEN!
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