Senior Year

Oh, yes, I remember. This is how my heart feels during a child’s senior year of high school: squeezed, stretched, and anxious. I avoided it for a few weeks, but I have arrived at the tissue phase.

I have been working on compiling pictures of Daniel’s Scouting years so I can really wallow in the sweet agony.

Today’s journey through memory brings forth his collections, erudite vocabulary, his good leaders, a tiny blue cast for his leg, the homeschool years, desert views, piano playing, and speckled blue eyes.

A child’s influence is very powerful. Raising Daniel has been one of the greatest honors of my life.

Daniel’s Eagle Project

For Daniel’s Eagle project, we freed these teens who were locked in the nursery closet for several years. They had grown a few feet taller, and had survived on goldfish crackers and kept clean with hand sanitizer. They didn’t seem to be bored with the toys. They played happily with the cash register, farm toys, tools, puzzles and kitchen sets as we cleaned the area. The reunions with their parents were too precious to photograph.

The shelf installation went smoothly. Not pictured are many people who donated the materials for the project, and Daniel’s grandpa who helped him with a design and ideas. I feel very grateful for the support people showed Daniel.

A piece of cake and trips to Home Depot

Yesterday, my friend Janine brought Timothy a piece of chocolate cake to congratulate him on his piano solo played in church. Many others have cheered for him and congratulated him in other ways.

Daniel’s Eagle project is this week, and the doorbell keeps ringing with people coming by with supplies. So far, every person who has come by has asked how he or she could help more. Other people have heard about it and have taken time to inquire what else is needed. Weeks ago, my parents gave up an evening to help Daniel begin the planning and design of his project.

I am no stranger to seeing the generosity of our neighbors, whether it is for funerals, illnesses, moves, births, gatherings, or weddings. This week, though, we are the direct recipients of this generosity and my heart is touched. When your child stretches, or does something difficult or new, you just love the people who show up to help and encourage.

 

Church musical number

Tim doesn’t crave the spotlight, but he has earned the right to be a performer, through one day of practice after another, year after year. I feel so very proud of him today.

Today’s ugly jobs

The eery sunrise through smoke in the air makes the day feel ominous. We have found the familiar indentations on the path for school routines: get up, make lunches, eat breakfast, pray, run out the door, leave Mom.

I have a morning without commitments. I wonder what I should do?

I will spare you the mountain of laundry that awaits and the loss I feel for my old occupation.

I have many other enjoyable things to do today. These are just the things I don’t want to do, and they will be finished in less than 30 minutes.

That’s the good thing about tasks at home. Many can be finished in minutes.

Kindness

Is there anything better than an older relative who spends time with you when you are little? Maybe they rescue you and help you get to shore; maybe they take time to play a child’s game, or dance with you when Grandma tells you it’s time to dance. I wish I knew how the kids learned to show such kindness and empathy. I like to think they learned it long before they came to us. I didn’t ask the kids to do these things. I really like seeing these photos of our kids being kind.

5 minutes away

The trailhead for this backpacking trip for the Scouts is five minutes from our house. I drive the truck full of boys, objects swinging from carabiners on their backpacks in the truck bed. Mark takes his first steps with the young men, a few months early. So thankful his dad is the Scoutmaster, I know Mark will be warm enough at night.

 

Earth from elements

12th and 9th in high school
6th in middle school
Day 17 without a washing machine at home
Charlene took us out to lunch

 

Today’s morning prayer included:

  • gratitude for yesterday’s trip to the laundromat with Paige
  • a plea for help for my boys at school
  • gratitude for a lunch with two of the Charlenes in my life
  • gratitude for my parents who came over last night for dinner and to help Daniel with some Scout stuff
  • gratitude for a beautiful house
  • a plea for forgiveness
  • frustration about some things
  • the names of many ward members
  • a realization that I have so much help this year for school, including busing, a piano teacher who comes to our house, and an army of teachers to replace my efforts
  • a plea to know who I can help today and for the emotional strength to do it

I said amen, thinking, “Did I kind of fall asleep during part of that prayer?” Realizing that I had, the thought came that if God could make the earth out of elements, he can work with a servant who is a bit dozy. Then the thought came that I needed to find my cell phone because someone needed me. I figured it would be one of my boys who had just left for school. Almost immediately after finding my phone, it lit up. Someone was calling to ask me to help. I wouldn’t have heard it because it was on silent mode. Sometimes, especially lately, I need intervention like this to know what to do because my perception feels foggy. I couldn’t have thought to call this neighbor, so she had to call me. I’m glad she felt that she could. I am grateful the thought came to find my phone.

Keep praying, all. It works.