New Beginnings

Most of the world recognizes January 1st as the day of new beginnings. We start organizing our business ledgers for the upcoming year, start diets, shed bad habits, start exercise regimens and all sorts of new firsts to ensure the new year starts on the right foot. Great-great-grandmother Lillian even brings us over a can of black-eyed peas and expects each member of the family to choke down at least one pea for "good luck". As autumn approaches, I realize that most new beginnings around my house begins in August. This is the month we prepare to entrust our children to institutes of higher learning at various places to obtain a little white piece of paper so the world will recognize that we have "arrived" - not sure where anymore, but somewhere. I spend more $$ on computers, school supplies, clothes, bedding, appliances, ect. than I do at Christmas. We have invested a lifetime in preparing our kids for this moment - when they drive off by themselves to a new city, new school, new house of which they will be responsible for (scary thought) ; they will have to set up their own class schedule of which they will have the freedom to attend.... or not attend (they so better be in class EVERYDAY). They will have to put themselves to bed (hopefully at a decent hour) get themselves up, fix their own meals if they want to eat, do their own laundry.....well at least keep it gathered up so I can tend to it on weekends, and generally take care of their own sweet selves. No more curfews, kisses out the door with a reminder to be careful coming home, no more "what sounds good for dinner?" or "let's go swimming this afternoon!" Oh well, they can walk out the door, but they always leave good memories that stick around till they come bouncing back home on weekends. Katie has one more year in the Roswell Independent School District, of which I'm not real sad. Highschool is a scary place in the times we live in and I'll be glad when she is out of that environment known as a ses pool. I will have the privilege of watching little Karli all day - that will be a first. I've started my geritol regimen in hopes I'll be up to the challenge of a baby all day. No worries..... Ben will be leaving for Afganistan in March so we've already begun getting him ready for deployment. He finished 2nd in his Airborne school this past weekend and has two more schools to go to before he earns his wings. Then he's planning to go to Wisconsin in January for a refresher course in his combat medic field. I'm proud of the way the Good Lord is working in the lives of my kids, preparing them for what lies ahead, and the fact that He still let's me be somewhat involved in the preparation process. Me..... my new beginnings start afresh each day - that's the only way I can survive sanity. Lamentations 3:23 - "Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness." Till next time, adios.