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another ending: the last day(s) of school


as we continue our gauntlet-run through a series of "lasts" we came upon a pretty big one at the end of last week:  the last day of school for all three boys.  it was q's last day of preschool: his "graduation" (he says he's going to college now), the last day of 3rd grade for c, and 5th grade for j.

it is difficult for us to wrap our heads around the fact that we will have a 6th grader, a 4th grader, and a kindergartner next year, and that we will be in a new town in new schools.  i so distinctly remember 6 years ago, when we had just moved back to pennsylvania from new jersey, and our oldest child was just starting kindergarten.  i remember walking home from school that first morning after dropping him off.  i remember crying.  i remember the emotion of entrusting the care of your child to other human beings for several hours each day.  it was a hard thing for me to do.

and now, as i think about my youngest little munchkin, and his own journey of life and education and growing up, i have some of those same feelings.  i am amazed at how rapidly this great big ball of rock orbits around the sun and how we keep marking time with these beginnings and endings and they come at such breakneck speed.  one moment you're making your kid do his math homework, and the very next moment (it seems) the school year is over.  and they put another notch on their educational belts.  and we move on.  in school...in life...and in love.

at endings, as at beginnings, i appreciate the opportunity to take stock and give thanks for the blessings of where we've been and where we are going.  that is a major theme for our lives as a family right now, and we certainly have so much to be thankful for.  for northumberland christian school and for emmanuel bible fellowship preschool, we are thankful.  for great teachers and educators who are passionate and love God, we are thankful.  for three children who are interested and engaged and learning and growing and always up for an adventure and a new beginning, we are thankful.  for the opportunities to step off of one bus and onto another, we are thankful.  for another trip around the sun, we are thankful.  and for love in the midst of it all, we are thankful.

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