Marching On

Wasn't I just posting my frustration at the start of summer vacation?  Thanks for hanging with me through that.  Sometimes I can get a bit whiny.  Don't tell my kids where they picked up that gene. :o)
Now here we are at our last day of summer vacation.  Landen will start the 2nd grade tomorrow and Nathan will start Kindergarten on Wednesday.  Wow--we will have a 2nd grader!  As my kids get older, I can remember how I felt about my parents' age at that stage.  At the age of 8, I thought my parents were OLD (they were somewhere around 29 and 36) and had been married FOREVER (only around 10 years at that point).  Quite similar to where David and I are now.  I thought I would be a bit wiser by now and have life, marriage, and all that big stuff figured out--you know, like my parents did! :o)
Thank you for joining me on this summer's journey.  As I posted a little while ago, it has been a faith-building summer like none I can remember.  There were great times and not-so-great times, but all were in God's hands and we know--no matter what--it will all be OK. 
There were transitions, too.  Our family started with the question of how long my 92 year-old grandma will be able to stay in her home.  My other grandparents sold their home and moved to an apartment.  I should probably be better with such things at this not-so-wise age of 32, but transitions are still difficult for me.  It is a reminder that nothing ever stays the same on this earth for long.  Sometimes that is very good.  Sometimes it can hurt.  A wonderful priest, Fr. Joe Vogel, once told a group of us at an NSU Bible study, "If you have great love, you will have great pain."  I remember that often when I feel the tug of time moving on.  I am so very, very thankful for the time I have been able to spend with my grandparents and the great love we share.
And now, it is time to turn away from summer and look forward to a new school year.  No doubt it will bring much of the same good and bad, happiness and sadness, as all life experiences do.  We've got the jeans, new shirts, shiny new folders, and brand new shoes. 
We know, as was shone to us more brightly this past summer than ever before, we will never walk alone.
We're excited.
We're ready.