Just dropped off my 15 yr. old, Beau, for the bus headed to the Sonshine Festival, a 4 day Christian Rock festival in Minnesota. It's early in the morning and he was very grumpy so we did not have a good farewell. He is the youngest of my 4 sons so I am used to sending kids away to places like camp and college and marriage. I have found that they always come back sooner or later, at least to visit but, for some reason, it is a bit harder with the "baby". Especially when he is in a bad mood and Mom doesn't even get a friendly wave good-bye let alone a nice long hug that will have to last 4 days.

My nest is emptying at the speed of light or at least it feels that way to me. Last summer my oldest son, Jones, got married and moved to Tucson, AZ. That's a two day drive from our home in rural Missouri.... too far for weekend visits. He'd been living at home with us for 6 months after being away at college for 3 1/2 yrs. It was good to have him back yet difficult as well...for all of us. He thought he was a guest instead of one of the family or perhaps he just had made his own lifestyle and did not try to adjust it when he moved in with 5 other people. There was a lot of strain between he and I but we both knew it was temporary and so we tolerated the situation. I've found that one can endure most anything if we know that it is will end. It's those things that there seems to be no end to, that go on and on and on, that will drive you over the edge.

We had a German exchange student living with us for 11 months and he left 2 weeks ago. He had enjoyed his stay with us and it was his first time to be a brother and he had 4! That was a fun learning experience for him. He was very disappointed though that he could not visit Hawaii while he was here. So we threw him a surprise Luau as a going away gift. He loved it and was shocked that I had invited all his USA friends and so many had come.

He was anxious to go home was so excited. He fit in well with us but always remained a little bit aloof so I was disarmed when he cried and clung to me when we hugged at parting.

My third son, Zeke, is heading off to Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa in a month. I will miss his presence. He is a quiet one most of the time, although that doesn't mean he is not opinionated. His convictions are strong. He just doesn't choose to share them with other people very often. He doesn't care about others' opinions much either so he is contented with his quietness. It's his presence in our home that I will miss....his guitar playing and singing muted through his bedroom door at all hours of the night and day.

His girlfriend, Bella, is going to the same school so she also is departing our lives soon. It's a 5 1/2 hour drive so they won't be coming back too often. It has been nice having a helpful female around so much. She is a delight and it has been wonderful to have something besides testosterone floating around this house!

I have always looked forward to the day when all of the kids are out on their own. That's been our goal as parents to have raised children to grow up to be independent, capable, caring individuals. I expected it to be a gradual thing. Ah, but life is good.