I love the feeling of a new school year! For me, it means a new beginning—the slate is clean, we set new goals, put ourselves back into a routine after a lazy summer, and I really do feel renewed!
Today was also a day of “Lasts”—it was my last day with Zach before he leaves for college! It has been “bittersweet”. I don’t think I ever fully understood that term until today! The sweetness comes in knowing that he is leaving tomorrow to do something that he has worked hard to achieve. A new chapter full of new friends, experiences, and learning. The bitter is the lump in my throat that I feel when I realize that I won’t be there to see him off to school in the mornings…or hear the details of his day when he comes home. That is the hard part of letting go. There have been tears, lots of tears!
I’ve thought about being a mom a lot lately. I have watched my role change in my kid’s lives and for the most part, transitions have been smooth and natural. But right now I feel like I am in unchartered waters! Sometimes I don’t think I am up for the new challenge. But that is the nature of life. Sometimes we have to stretch farther than we feel capable of stretching and let go of those we love so that they can learn to do their own stretching!
The Big Send-Off, August 26, 2009
PS: Zach arrived at BYU safely and has officially had his first "BYU Experience". He went to the Wilkinson Center to get his student i.d. and was sent right back out and was told he needed to shave before they would issue his card. For those of you that haven't seen Zach lately, his "beard" consists of the 5 hairs on his chin that have taken him about three weeks to grow. Scott, BYU's greatest dress code violator of the mid-80's for his overuse of flip-flops, got a chuckle out of that one!
Susan,
ReplyDeleteI am sure that I will find the day Karin goes away to school very bittersweet. Congratulations on raising such a wonderful son. His "experience" was too funny.
Susan,
ReplyDeleteI admire everything about you! You are such a STRONG woman! I wish that I could be half the mom you are with your children. As Katy has said you have raised a wonderful son, and Zach will be doing a lot of GROWING in the next year, but it will help him before he leaces for his Mission, and not that he doesn't appreciate you now, he will deffinately appreciate you so much more! <3
How hard it must be to let go, but so good for Zach to stretch and grow on his own. He will have a blast this year, maybe a little too much fun! :-) I hope he had a great first day of school. I just spoke with my sister and sister-in-law, who are at BYU and they're so excited for the year! When Zach gets a chance, he needs to take a class from Dr. Paul Kerry...
ReplyDeleteI don't think I'm ready to really experience "bittersweet." I still feel like I have so much to learn and hopefully teach before that day comes. Zach is a great kid (as are all of your kids! You are an amazing lady Susan...I hope I can be even a little bit like you. Loved reading about Zach's experience! I laughed. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteWow! I am so amazed that you are sending one off already! I am sure it's so difficult, yet so awesome to watch him entering a new phase. We'll watch for him at the football games!
ReplyDelete