From That... to This!!!

AUGUST 2018                                                                                  APRIL 2019

What a difference a few months make!  The first picture is the day in August that I had worried for months about... I was worried that you would step out into the world and change... grow up too fast... and become someone who didn't need her mama anymore... I was worried about you leaving the comfortable nest you had been in for 18 years.  So I prayed for you... over and over and over...

Those first few months were hard... it was hard to watch each week with tears in your eyes as you left us on Sunday afternoons... it was hard to sit at the table for supper and you not be there... it was hard for us to go out to eat and say "three" instead of four... it was hard to sleep soundly at night knowing you weren't in our nest.... So I prayed for you.... over and over and over...

You did change... you learned to be an advocate for yourself... you learned to ask questions to teachers who didn't know your mama... you learned what a true work environment was... the good and bad... you learned that hard work has rewards.... Not many people can say they leave their freshman year with 4.0... Your Uncle Jim and I know that a grade point average doesn't really matter... but I'm still proud of you! 

You did grow up fast.... you learned to make grocery lists, you learned to organize your schedule with work and school... and you learned to be an adult and keep your mouth shut when you didn't really agree with someone!  I worried you would be vulnerable stepping out of the bubble you had grown up in... I worried you would be run over like a freight train by kids much smarter than you... and I worried you would be on anxiety medicine to make it through your first year of school.  So I prayed for you... over and over and over...

The one thing that didn't happen was not needing me anymore... While I wasn't always able to answer your 7:47 AM phone calls each day... or the 8:50 AM ones... or the 9:30 PM ones... my heart felt good to know that you still felt the need to call me all times of the day and night.... even if it was just to tell me you saw a cat or a squirrel or found a good snack.... thank you for making me feel loved more than I ever deserve!  I'm so glad you still need me... So I pray for you now... and will always pray for you... over and over and over....

The last picture is you coming in the house tonight... those tears and fears and worries and anxiety in the first picture are completely gone tonight... you are home... you have survived your freshman year of college... and it was way more than I expected it to be for you!   In the fall you will return to Clemson as a JUNIOR... I know it won't be easy to let you go again.... So I will pray for you... over and over and over... 

Tonight... I'm just thanking God that you are under our roof and smiling!  You and Ben have a lot of catching up to do... Welcome home baby girl.... for now I will pray for you to be happy while you are home... over and over and over!

PS... Could you get all those things that I thought you needed to make a dorm room cute put up so your room doesn't look like a tornado?  My house won't be clean until August!