Do Not Open Until...

Back to the day that we left Maddy in the parking lot at college in tears, myself included. We were given a Parent Packet as soon as we arrived, and there was an envelope within that said: "PARENTS: Please do not open until you're on your way home".

Twenty miles away from campus, I thought I'd calmed down enough, so I cracked it open.  Hoping it would say something like, Your child has received a full ride scholarship AND she can complete her education at home online, so GO on back and get her!

It didn't.

It was A Prayer for parents to say.  I tried to read it just in my head and couldn't get past the first paragraph without breaking down into more tears, so I tucked it away until later.

Well, I lost it!  I tore that car apart the next day and couldn't find it... 

Robb stumbled upon it in his bagpipe case just a few days ago!  I must have tucked it into there, but was that case even IN the car for the trip?  who knows...  It's a very lived in car.

So last night, I decided that Meri and I were going to read it.  I figured it's been 4 weeks and 6 days, I can handle this!

Here we go...

A Prayer for parents

Dear Lord, we know that you are with our children at XXX.  We know that you will guide them, protect them, bless them. But we ask anyway.

Please give them the confidence to meet new people and new challenges with a smile.  Give them the wisdom to make sensible decisions.  Give them the energy and motivation to study hard.  Give them a heart that sees the needs of others and is more apt to be kind than cool.

And bless us too.  As we look at the empty chairs at our kitchen tables, 

and here is where my chin started quivering uncontrollably and the words started to not make sense.  Meri grabbed the paper to finish reading it for me.

And bless us too.  As we look at the empty chairs at our kitchen tables, give us the strength and wisdom to love our children by gently letting them go... and letting them grow - into independent adults who will find their own place in the great interdependent web of family, church, and community.

Amen.

Leon has claimed her chair so there are none empty, but the house still feels like we're missing something, someone...  A girl who always has a cheerful song in her heart.  A girl who would sit at the piano and pound out a beautiful song that we can sing along to.

sigh.  Maddy, we miss you!  Can't wait to see you in a week and 1 day!