The End of an Era

Today my three kids marched out the door to walk to school together. For the last time. This is Duncan's last day of Grade 8 and in two years Emma will start high school as well. Then Benji will finish elementary school all on his own and go solo for his high school years. So today was it. The last "all together" day.

It's strange how these milestone moments can feel so normal. I mean, I still had to rush around making lunches for everyone. Benji's hair required a little extra attention seeing as he woke up with a big wing across the front. The cookies I'd baked for Emma's class party barely fit into the Rubbermaid I dug out of the cupboard. And, horror of horrors, Duncan's new Aeropostale t-shirt was nowhere to be found! Dig, dig, dig through the baskets of unfolded laundry.

And yet as normal as it "felt", I knew it was a morning to be savoured. I parked myself at the back window and watched them toodle out the gate and down the street to meet their friends on the way. I thanked the Lord for watching over them thus far and thanked Him for what He has in store for the future. I could almost see His mighty hand cupped behind the three of them there on the road - providing protection, guidance and the occasional poke to keep them all in line! And although the tears well up in my eyes and my heart aches just a little for the door that is now swinging silently closed on this season of our family's life, at the same time I say, "Thank You Jesus!" for carrying us to this point. And for promising to carry us all the way to the end.

Happy Birthday to My Sweetheart

It's late at night (which is when I always find myself sitting down to the computer, darn it all) and I really should be running off to bed, but I must take a second to send out a Happy Birthday to my very own Johnny Boy. He, of course, will never know I even did this because he doesn't read my blog, but for all you faithful followers, I must tell you that my husband is celebrating number 43 tomorrow and he is PUMPED!
John is always pumped about his birthday. He's not one of those grown ups who modestly tries to downplay the celebration. Nope. "Bring on the party," is his motto, and so we do. Now if it were up to him (which it's not) we'd have a huge bash every year, but seeing as his wife is a little more low key, we've learned to strike a balance and alternate between "everyone parties" and smaller get-togethers. This year he starts with breakfast in bed (bacon and eggs), then garage saling (please don't even ask me why anyone would want to kick off their birthday this way) in the morning with good buddy Deve; then we'll have good friends over for dinner and a games night; then Sunday night is his "date night"with moi, complete with dinner out and a movie.
Happy Birthday, honey bunnicula! You are my best friend in the world and the one who makes me laugh the hardest. I told you tonight you were a great "consolation" to me and that, I think, is one of the best words I can think of to describe you. You listen to me when I need to talk, rub my head when I have a headache, calm my fears when I'm stressing and basically turn my days from black-and-white to colour.
We've had our ups and downs, of course, in the 22 years we've known each other, but you truly are God's gift to me.


Happy Birthday!