It truly amazes me how different I can feel in a year’s time. Last year at this time our entire household was an emotional wreck. We were preparing to take Ashley, our only child, to college four hours from home. She’d been home schooled most of her life and the three of us are very close. There were many tears, some fights, lots of fear and anticipation. None of us were sure of what would come or how things would go.

The weekend we took her to college was a complete roller coaster. So many ups and downs in a matter of three days! Grace College is great, though, and offered a fantastic orientation weekend to help us all adjust. It’s hard to see your only child struggling with growing up. She wanted to go away for college and was excited for the adventure, but it was scary too. There were so many tears that weekend. Not only from Ashley, but from myself and Tom as well.

Leaving her for the final time, on Sunday afternoon, was so hard. All three of us hugged and cried for a long time. One nice thing about her attending a Christian college, of course, was that lots of other families were feeling the same way we were. Nobody judged us for our emotions or our love for each other. What a blessing.

We are now quickly approaching the day when we take her to college this year.  Although we are going to miss each other a lot, and have really enjoyed the opportunity of being together all summer, it is such a different feeling this time around. We know that she loves Grace College, she’s made good friends who she misses dearly, she’s excelling in her classes and socially, and that she is very anxious to get back to her life at school. That is such a reassuring feeling as parents!

God is so good. He led us to Grace College and gently nudged Ashley to make this choice. I am so proud of her. I love the young woman she is becoming. My mother in law puts it perfectly…..”Ashley is blossoming”! Praise God!!

Bye,
Lisa