Holding on, Letting go

Friday June 26, 2015

As moms, we spend our lives trying to strike a balance.

How much to hold on, how soon to let go.



I'm writing at The MOB Society today about Staying Close As You Let Go.

And in that spirit, I offer you some poetry written for my first son as he graduated from high school. Its message resounded for each of my boys (and for many of their friends, my students) as they "left the nest."

FLUTTER AWAY

There it is – The fluttering.

You can always hear it this time of year
As they perch on the edge, wings flapping madly, oh-so-ready to take the plunge.

This year it’s deafening.
I not only hear the fluttering
I feel it
Right in the pit of my stomach…
No, in the bottom of my heart.

This time there are so many who have a place in my heart.
As I watch them turn and smile and wave
I see chubby little hands linked in friendship
I recall trips to Ocean World
Choo-choo train birthday parties,
Boosterthon and field day so long ago.

But this is the way of things.
Seasons change; things grow and flower.
It’s part of His grand design.

So, go ahead.
Flap really hard as you step off.
And don’t look down.
Keep your eyes above and your hand in His.

Flutter on.
Flutter away.

A Letter to the Graduate's Mom

Wednesday June 1, 2011

I’m one this year – the mother of a graduate. We’ve had a wave of graduations in our family lately, from high school to college to master’s degrees, all in the last two years.

Our boys didn’t have formal graduation ceremonies when they moved on from kindergarten, but we’ve done eighth grade graduation and all that follows. So, by now the feelings in a mom’s heart are second nature.

As I write this, I think of you, the graduate's mom. In sharing my heart, I hope to touch yours and let you know you’re not alone.

: : :

I watch as he steps up to the stage, and I wait to hear his name. The name I labored over (in more ways than one), the name I wrote out to see what it would look like, the name I imagined nicknames for.

He steps up and certainly seems taller than yesterday. The excitement on his face shines through. He’s out to conquer the world, to make his mark, to be his own man.

And I pray. Make him a kind man, full of compassion. May he share his heart and his hope with others. Help him always to do his best, no matter what the task. May he always reach behind to help pull someone else alongside.

Whether your graduate is a son or daughter, a kindergarten graduate, one moving into or out of high school, or one receiving his baccalaureate degree, the sentiments are the same.

It’s a bittersweet moment. So much has passed, and we ache for those moments we can’t experience again. But so much is ahead. The fulfillment of all that’s gone on before, a merging, a fusion.

Cherish it. Relish it.
It's a special moment.
The mingling of the past and present with the future.

From this mom's heart to yours,

Family: Friday's Fave Five

Friday May 13, 2011 Can you name five blessings from your week? Susanne from Living to Tell the Story hosts Friday’s Fave Five each week. Click on over and see her if you’d like to join in!

Here are my favorites for this week:

1. Direct flights. Last week this time I was with the family. We had gathered to celebrate a college graduation, and it was great! A rare direct flight made it even better because I spent less time traveling and more time with the family.

2. Herbal Peppermint Tea -- a Mother's Day gift! My youngest gave me some wonderful loose-leaf herbal tea. The peppermint is so soothing. I just love it. (Thanks to the young lady in his life who helped him, too.)

3. Mother's Day Weekend. I don't know the last time we were all together for Mother's Day weekend, including my eighty-six year old mom. The trip was an adventure for her, but she got to see all of our family and watch a grandson graduate. It was an incredible weekend filled with hugs, tears, beautiful cards, hellos and goodbyes, and Aiden's giggles.

4. My graduate. Here he is -- my college graduate. That's the lovely young lady in his life next to him, and we got to spend a little time with her, too. (So sweet.) He's doing all the real-world stuff now, like interviews, apartment hunting and all that. We're so proud of him!

5. Thankfulness. Oh, just so much to be thankful for. No, this family isn't perfect and everything in life isn't easy, but I'm so thankful for boys who love Mom and Dad and the concept of family and each other and sweet girls and their Source. I've been thinking about that Source lately -- you know, the wellspring. Those broken cisterns run dry pretty quickly, but the joy from Him just keeps bubbling up. Come Monday, that'll probably be the subject of my post.

I joined the party a bit late today -- had a book to finish editing and Blogger was down on Thursday night. And last week I wasn't able to come greet as usual as we were "familying." But I'll be around this weekend to say hi. Hope all of you had a wonderful Mother's Day!

Blessings on your week ahead.

Tiny Threads: Friday's Fave Five

Friday May 6, 2011 Can you name five blessings from your week? Susanne from Living to Tell the Story hosts Friday’s Fave Five each week. Click on over and see her if you’d like to join in!

Here are my favorites from this week:

1. Student gifts. A couple of my students gave me Easter gifts which I’m still enjoying. I’m savoring the precious chocolate, little by little. Love that thoughtfulness, especially when it’s unexpected.

2. A musical summer. My hubby and I have already bought tickets for two concerts this summer, and I’m so looking forward to going with him. We love music, and a nice date night is always a plus, isn’t it?

3. Feeling a little caught up. (I hesitate to voice that – I’ll find a pile of unfiled papers tomorrow! Actually, I don’t have far to look to find those…) As we near the end of school, I have it all pretty much laid out. You can count the days and assign stuff in your planner and feel like we’re going to reach the end. I’ve had to make up a lot of new test, quizzes, handouts this year, and it’s nice to see that winding down a bit.

4. Celebration. We’ll be watching our third son graduate, and that’s plenty cause for celebration. Not to mention having the whole bunch together for the event. Just can’t wait!! (You'll have to excuse me, FFF buddies, if I'm late to your place this weekend...but I'll get there eventually.)

5. This quote.

“Chains do not hold a marriage together. It is threads, hundreds of tiny threads, which sew people together through the years.” (Simone Signoret)

As I look back, I see so many little threads that have woven the tapestry we’re blessed with today. And I’m thankful.

Looking forward to Mother's Day? Enter my giveaway -- read all about it here! A gift card for the winner and a book for her honored Boy Mom friend. Time's running out...!

It's All About Family: Friday's Fave Five

June 4, 2010 Happy Friday!

It's time to revisit this week's blessings, and my week was full of them. If you'd like to join in, be sure to visit Susanne at Living to Tell the Story to get details.

Here are this week's favorites for me. It's all about family!

1. Graduation Week. That's what this week is at our house, and it's so much fun. I look around at Baccalaureate and see moms I stood outside the kindergarten door with, waiting for our kids to emerge. Most of us held another baby, pushed a stroller, or corralled our bigger boys until the kindergartner was set free. Seeing these moms who have been on the same journey as mine and knowing their heart is feeling the same things mine is right now is a special kinship. We're proud, excited and trying oh-so-hard to let go!

2. Family dinners. What a great time has been had around the dinner table this week as everyone has been home. Sure, we've had to have a late dinner and an early one to make everything happen, but it's been so worth it. The other night the boys started "Remember when..." and we all laughed till our full bellies hurt. It was great.

3. My mom. My mom made the long trip to Florida to see her grandson graduate, and we're so glad she's here. She is, too! It's always a little hard for her to decide to leave home and embark on such an adventure, but she just had to see this boy graduate. It' s been great having her here and in on everything.

4. My sweet hubby. He's been a blessing this week (as usual) because he has taken up the slack when I had to be at school. I'd come home and he was already there, getting things organized. We haven't had as much time together as usual this week and we've both missed it, but seeing him enjoy the boys so much is great fun, and so worth it.

5. The graduate. You always wonder how they'll turn out. The youngest of four boys has so much working on him. So much has been accomplished by his brothers that you hope he'll have room to find himself. We tried so hard to let each one "be his own boy" and it seems to have somehow worked out that way. (Grace...) We are so proud of our graduate -- the young man he is and will become. (Blinking away tears as I type.)

What more can I say? What a week!