Just about every one I know has sent a child off to school this last week or so. Whether it's to preschool, Kindergarten, grade school or college, it's a hard thing to do. Many tears are shed and hearts are heavy. But somehow, God sees us through it...
I remember when Joshua (my oldest) first left for Dallas and SMU. That's a five hour ( if I remember correctly) trip. We loaded his truck and mine up with things along with the five of us and took off to get him settled into his dorm. I was a little upset at what was coming but I'm one of those that puts things on the back burner until absolutely necessary to examine them.We were about to leave and Toby (middle son and one grade behind Josh) had been visiting the computer room down the hall. When we left Joshua's room I was looking at the hallway walls, the floor--anything not to let them see my eyes were tearing up. When we got to the truck Toby wasn't there. We thought perhaps he'd stopped off again in the computer room. I told the others to stay at the truck and I'd go back and get him.
As I was heading through the back door of the dorm, a campus policeman on a bicycle was wheeling his bike through that door. I followed and headed over to the elevators. The cop told me, "No ma'am. You'll have to use the stairs. We have someone stuck in the elevator and when one's messed up, usually the other will be, too. They are pretty old." How does a mother know these things?:-) I continued to stand beside him and when he looked over at me I said, " I think that's my son in there."
"What's your son's name?"
"Toby."
He leans towards the elevator and says, "What's your name, son?"
There's a little pause, then..."Toby..." (grin)
The guy tells us that if we are patient they'll call the elevator company and have them send someone out. Apparently, that wasn't good enough for Toby. There must've been some kind of catch on the inside because it was just a little bit when the door opened. Albeit, the floor of the elevator was about a foot above the floor we were standing on. I don't think he liked the idea of staying in there for that long.:-) The cop pulled out his ticket book to take notes. He started off asking Toby his full name, address, etc. He asked if this was his dorm. I explained that it was his brother's..that Toby was still in high school. The whole time Toby and I were both trying to contain our grins. We both have the same kind of silly sense of humor...finding humor in almost any situation. The fact that the cop was taking down all this info on Toby simply because he'd gotten stuck in the elevator..well..somehow it tickled our funny bones. I still maintain that that episode was engineered by God. He knew I needed help to get us off that campus and out of Dallas. We laughed and giggled about it all the way out. My heartbreak tears were exchanged for a different kind --tears of laughter.
I still cried when Joshua would come home then head back..it's something moms just do. But that very first time of leaving my child hundreds of miles away from my protection...God saw me through it. Now he's a seminary student at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY. I've not seen him in months. He decided to stay there for the summer and work. He's coming home fall break or Thanksgiving. He's 25 and I know I'll STILL cry when he heads back...a mom does, you know.:-)
I remember when Joshua (my oldest) first left for Dallas and SMU. That's a five hour ( if I remember correctly) trip. We loaded his truck and mine up with things along with the five of us and took off to get him settled into his dorm. I was a little upset at what was coming but I'm one of those that puts things on the back burner until absolutely necessary to examine them.We were about to leave and Toby (middle son and one grade behind Josh) had been visiting the computer room down the hall. When we left Joshua's room I was looking at the hallway walls, the floor--anything not to let them see my eyes were tearing up. When we got to the truck Toby wasn't there. We thought perhaps he'd stopped off again in the computer room. I told the others to stay at the truck and I'd go back and get him.
As I was heading through the back door of the dorm, a campus policeman on a bicycle was wheeling his bike through that door. I followed and headed over to the elevators. The cop told me, "No ma'am. You'll have to use the stairs. We have someone stuck in the elevator and when one's messed up, usually the other will be, too. They are pretty old." How does a mother know these things?:-) I continued to stand beside him and when he looked over at me I said, " I think that's my son in there."
"What's your son's name?"
"Toby."
He leans towards the elevator and says, "What's your name, son?"
There's a little pause, then..."Toby..."
The guy tells us that if we are patient they'll call the elevator company and have them send someone out. Apparently, that wasn't good enough for Toby. There must've been some kind of catch on the inside because it was just a little bit when the door opened. Albeit, the floor of the elevator was about a foot above the floor we were standing on. I don't think he liked the idea of staying in there for that long.:-) The cop pulled out his ticket book to take notes. He started off asking Toby his full name, address, etc. He asked if this was his dorm. I explained that it was his brother's..that Toby was still in high school. The whole time Toby and I were both trying to contain our grins. We both have the same kind of silly sense of humor...finding humor in almost any situation. The fact that the cop was taking down all this info on Toby simply because he'd gotten stuck in the elevator..well..somehow it tickled our funny bones. I still maintain that that episode was engineered by God. He knew I needed help to get us off that campus and out of Dallas. We laughed and giggled about it all the way out. My heartbreak tears were exchanged for a different kind --tears of laughter.
I still cried when Joshua would come home then head back..it's something moms just do. But that very first time of leaving my child hundreds of miles away from my protection...God saw me through it. Now he's a seminary student at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY. I've not seen him in months. He decided to stay there for the summer and work. He's coming home fall break or Thanksgiving. He's 25 and I know I'll STILL cry when he heads back...a mom does, you know.:-)
