a wide place

How did we get here? How is our boy all grown up and in college?

Judah, bravest and kindest and funniest of firstborn sons, it feels like you’ve lived a couple of lifetimes in these 18 years … Pennsylvania and Columbia and India and helping us to start a church and to adopt your brothers, and now a move to Tennessee and all the twists and turns that come from growing up with parents in full-time ministry.

We’ve seen God grow you through good times and hard, through homeschooling and friends moving away, through loneliness and community, through Deerfoot and Chick-Fil-A and learning to share your faith with others and co-op classes and travel and family time.

You make us happy every day, and make our family better. I feel honored to count you among my closest friends.

And now … onto your newest chapter!

Last week felt surreal.

First of all, if you spent any time with me this summer you know the turmoil I felt when I realized Judah’s college move-in day coincided with the three younger kids starting a brand new homeschool co-op in a brand new state.

There was no doubt in my mind that I simply had to go back to Columbia with David and Judah — I just could not miss this momentous occasion. But it hurt to leave our other three, and it was a hard week for them. Thankfully David’s parents came to TN to be with them while we were away, and that was a comfort.

And lots of people prayed for us! Still, it’s a week I don’t think any of us want to repeat.

So last Tuesday at noon I took the three kids to their new school to meet the director and find their classes. Then David, Judah and I jumped in the van for a road trip to Columbia.

We soaked in the five hours together in the van. I don’t know about you, but as my kids get older and more independent I notice this: just any little thing we get to do together feels like a treat. Judah was so busy his senior year of high school with dual enrollment and work and then Deerfoot all summer, that I soak up little moments with him, even if it’s sitting together on the sofa for five minutes, watching reels from The Office. This helps me currently with all the chauffeuring I do for Gabe and Noah — I know now that these days are numbered.

Anyway, on that last road trip of the summer, we listened to Judah’s playlist and laughed and relived hard moments of the summer and generally caught up on life.

Then we settled in at Steve and Linda’s house (while they settled into our house in TN!), ate some Chipotle for dinner, and chilled out before the Big Day.

Wednesday was CIU move-in day for new students, and we showed up on campus at 9 am. I still can’t believe how quick it all went (and I can’t believe our son is going to the college where David and I met). Judah and his roommate, Wes, are both from Columbia, both familiar with campus since their parents are alumni, and so were eager for us to quick set up their dorm room and then say goodbye.

We get it. Once upon a time, we were college freshmen.

We left campus at 10:30, and had an entire, unexpected day to ourselves! That was bittersweet.

So the two of us went to Methodical for coffee and biscuits, then on to some errands and to pack up a second, smaller U-Haul of our stuff.

When people ask me how I’m doing with the transition, I say that having Judah away for the last two summers at camp definitely helped prepare me for this, but it doesn’t make me miss him any less. And while I live with an ache in my heart, I truly couldn’t be more happy for our boy. It just feels right. He’s settling into college and loving his classes thus far and making lots of new friends. Truly, he’s living his best life.

Having our oldest in college 5 hours away is happy and sad and hard and wonderful all mixed up together.

Or, in the words of our 17-year-old, “I had no idea you could feel every single emotion at the same time, and just have to keep going on.”

We couldn’t be prouder of Judah or more thrilled for him.

Happy Wednesday!

Love, Julie