It is the strangest feeling to have our household shrink. For 22 years it has been growing. Every year I have needed to plan for more. Krissy left home so soon after Mataya was born that our numbers felt steady, rather than shrinking - so this is new to me!
Having Jamison leave is so good! We are so proud of him and his choices. I could not be more comfortable with his plan. It feels natural and right.
And yet it is just sooooo weird. Knowing he's "off" is totally rewarding. He was an (almost) complete joy to raise. Yet layered into the pride and excitement and joy is grief.
He's gone.
His bedroom smells like clean sheets.
His closet is nearly empty.
There is no reason to leave the outside lights on when we head to bed. He's not coming home.
And even though that is as it should be, there is a part of my heart that is so very sad. How can that time when "under our roof" was where he belonged be over?
(OK, enough of that!)
Here he stands in his dorm room, surrounded by all of his worldly possessions!
Moving him into the dorm was blessedly simple. He moved in a couple of weeks before the rest of the Freshman class because he will start training with the cross country team. There were only 12 guys moving into his dorm the day he was. We pulled up to the door, carried up all his stuff, fixed his bed, took a quick look around the building, and he hugged us good-bye. He didn't want help unpacking or decorating - so we were in and out of the University in 45 minutes! He is rooming with a high school buddy, and with practice starting the very afternoon we dropped him off, I know he will be busy and developing friendships. I am very grateful for the simplicity!
So - you can pray that his legs hold up! He has not been able to run the same mile-age as his teammates over the summer because his stress reactions are still healing. He seems to be solid, but the true test will be when quality workouts start. His coach has successfully rehabilitated other runners with similar injuries and for that I am thankful. I am most certainly praying that the stress reactions are behind him once and for all!
You can also pray for him as he adapts to working during the school year/athletic seasons. He has never worked during the school year in the past. Learning to juggle harder classes, athletic responsibilities, and a job will be a challenge - but I also think it will provide some balance.
With all the older kids away, I had planned several activities with Joshua. But, in the end, he didn't like my plan. Instead, he had a play date with a buddy and a sleepover with his Grammy. We did spend one morning riding horse at my dad's, and we snuggled up to watch a couple of movies. (Movies are his love language.)
Joshua is loving horseback riding lately.
Mataya, not so much. She thinks the horses are awesome. . . from the road. When we get close, she clings to me like a suction cup.
"Techno-snuggles"
When Joshua was at Grammy's, I took these two cuties to the zoo. Mataya loves the zoo; Wyatt loves anyplace with a bunch of people to smile at, so it was a hit!
One thing we learned this week is that we LOVE teenagers. We have missed their chatter and drama and intelligent conversation so very much. Even Chad has said, "I really miss the kids!" And he usually makes fun of me for that! Ha!! Four more hours and the girls will be home!
I can not wait!
