Wednesday, September 5, 2007

There's That Word Again: Perservere (posted 8-8-07)

It's August 8th; it's really August 8th. That means in 12 days my boy leaves for college. Oh gosh, where did my time with him go? We've spent a lot of time together this child and I. He's a home boy, already planning his first visit home. He loves to hang out here and we have been known to spend hours talking together, watching sappy movies together, playing board games with Dalton and generally just happy to be in each other's company.

Day before yesterday, he paid me a high compliment. He told me his girlfriend was a lot like me. Holy cow! If there was anything in my body or person that resembles that gorgeous creature I thank God for it. She's a beautiful girl inside and out and Taylor's done a good job waiting for this one. He's dated some terrific girls, but this one is special.

Here's the deal... Freshman year in college is tough. It's a waiting game, a learning game, a money game, and a game of life. There are so many new factors involved with your freshman year in college than can just simply break a relationship. I know neither of them want that and their plans are that this will make it for the duration (four years not just freshman year!). Funny thing about plans... we sometimes have to revisit them. We have to revise and alter them. New experiences, new horizons, new situations all equal new plans. Having been in a similar situation, my advice to them both is to "PERSEVERE" and communicate. The only way I see this continuing is to communicate constantly and to set their minds on two things: Graduation (first and foremost) and staying together.

Without achieving the first goal, the second one will be filled with resentment, if they do manage to stay together. They can build from where they are at this point, which is actually pretty solid for two kids who are just stepping into the world, and make it stronger, better, broaden their foundation, and go up. And while they're building up, I hope they remember to look up. Look up for guidance, inspiration and answers and have faith that with His help, this will work if that's what is meant to be. They'll never make it without Him either. He's the root of all that is good and the foundation of all that is stable, capable of being built upon. He will guide them through this and enable their relationship to grow if indeed this is "the one". Fortunately, they're both pretty firm in their faith, and they're respectful of themselves, each other and the Lord.

I'm really proud of these two. Most importantly, I'm really proud of my son, my middle child, my home body boy. He's my pal, my sweetie, my protector, my funny bunny. He's just the cat's meow really.

Taylor, You're going places! I'm so proud to be watching you learning, growing and maturing into such a great young adult. This is only the beginning! The best is yet to come!

Epilogue: I was taking Taylor to work this morning, having started this post already, when he asked would I get him a sandwich at McDonalds. We're in the drive through and I ordered, which ended with a "Thank you!" from me to the order taker. He remarks, "You really are always nice to people aren't you, mom?"

I replied, "Well, I try to be."

He says, "No mom, I mean you're really nice. You thank people, you return your carts, you'll hold doors, you smile at everyone, you help anyone who needs you and you can, you're really nice."

I said, "Thanks T."

He gets quiet... We pull up to the back door of his work place, and he sits there for a second and says, "You know, I'm really gonna miss you Mommy."

Ugh ... it was complete with the "Mommy"... the one thing that gets me most... That was all she wrote. I ruptured. I just hugged and hugged him while I cried and cried and managed to blubber, "I'm really gonna miss you too Tay!"

Oh yes, I'm definitely going to miss you... Like you used to say when you were little, "A really whole lot."

1 comment:

Lissa Ballard said...

Comment from: Tracie http://www.traciesplace.blogspot.com
Hi Lissa!!

This post is so sweet, so genuine and so made me cry!! I have 2 boys myself and one day they too will be off to college and I will find myself (hopefully) in the same spot as you are now. We are trying our best to make sure that we raise them right and to make the right decisions, that's always a parent's biggest fear when they get to be 'old enough'!! I did this layout on a song that says it all from me to my boys, the song is "My Wish" by Rascall Flatts - check it out if you'd like: http://traciesplace.blogspot.com/2007/01/i-did-it.html Thanks for sharing all your personal thoughts and feelings...the best of luck to Taylor (and his girlfriend).

Comment from: Jacquie
Lissa, your son is so right, you are truly a genuinely beautiful person. You made me cry and you made me think of my own sweet Tay! My son Taylor is a sweet boy too. I think he enjoys spending time with me and he loves chatting with me. I've only got 5 more years with him at home and I'm dreading the day that I'm in the situation that you are with your Taylor, but I too have high hopes and think mine will make the right decisions.

Good luck to you, your family, Taylor and his girlfriend on this new and exciting times in your lives!

Jaq

Comment from: Paula http://absolutelypaula.blogspot.com/
oh, my gosh, Lissa, I can't help but cry, can't imagine how you feel! I know that you must be feeling sooo darn proud, soooo darn excited, and yet sooo darn SAD!!! But how awesome that your son knows you, and knows you well! And how awesome that he's ready to make this strange change into adulthood with such a great attitude, dispossition and strenght!
You did a good job, Lissa! Godspeed!

Comment from: Paula http://absolutelypaula.blogspot.com/
Oh, there's a PS...
Where are the OTHER pics ofyour progress??? Whatever happened? did you finish? What does it looks like? did you find new storage solutions???
Nose-y ladies need to know!!!

Comment from: kim http://scrap-to-my-lu.blogspot.com
your post makes my heart ache...........in a good way though. We all hope to raise such aware and sweet boys.
I can't imagine how hard it will be for you when he leaves.
A new chapter.