Tuesday, June 2

The end of the beginning


September 1996.  My first little boy starts kindergarten.  His younger brother is in preschool; a third brother is on the way.

So begins an era of carpools and sack lunches and homework and tests and projects and papers and field trips and schedules and all the other things that go into what we call "School Days."

I am an eager mom, excited to see how my boys will grow and develop.

With three boys, School Days stretch out into weeks and months and years and years and years.

And then, one by one, those three boys finish their School Days.


Until finally the last lunch is packed, the last project is turned in, the last paper is written, the last test is taken.

When I think the progression of all these days, one after another, September 1996 through May 2015, it seems like a long time.  Nineteen years of preparatory education, all in a row.  That's a lot of sack lunches.

But when I think about the total of these days, the nineteen years they melted into, it doesn't seem like a long time at all.  It just seems like a special time.  A wonderful time.  A time that surely isn't over, is it?  Is it??



And I am comforted to know that this isn't the end.  It isn't even the beginning of the end.  But to borrow a phrase from Winston Churchill, it is the end of the beginning.


I am still an eager mom, excited to see how my boys will grow and develop.

And I am so grateful.

Dear God, I thank you for the privilege of being here for the beginning of the lives of these men.
  

14 comments:

  1. Beautiful post Richella!! Congrats to your son on his graduation!!

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  2. Congratulations! That is a great family photo of y'all.

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  3. You have a beautiful family and so many blessings to be thankful for! Congratulations to the graduate as you move on to the next stage of life!

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  4. Congratulations to all of you! Richella, you have a beautiful family and I know you've done an amazing job with your young men. Praying that this new season of life brings a special grace and unexpected blessings for you. By the way, you look like their sister in this picture, not their mom. So beautiful!!!

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  5. What a beautiful, beautiful "story"...one of a wonderful beginning....but that is only the first few chapters. You are going to have a whole volume to finish yet! Your family is beautiful -and so are you- I never realized you were such a tiny little sprite! Love this post!!! xo Diana

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  6. Great pictures of such a lovely milestone! Best wishes to your son and you and your husband at the beginning of this new end.

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  7. Aww...what a sweet post. Your kids never stop being your kids, that's for sure! I was just as proud at the pre-school graduations as I was when our youngest got his Master's degree a few several years ago. It's just we moms do, isn't it? Congratulations!

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  8. Oh such precious moments and memories. I love the pics. You look like their sister.

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  9. Yes! Onward! (P.S. You are so beautiful!)

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  10. Congratulations, Richella! Such a bittersweet time. ;)

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  11. Dear Friend, This was a bitter sweet post, Now where did those days go? You have done an amazing job and what a bright future they will all have! You have been a huge source of love and protection for them as well as helping them to know the truth! Looking forward to seeing the wedding photos, then the grand babies and your big smile! Much Love, Roxy

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  12. Well you can certainly count your blessings and be proud of raising such handsome guys!! Lovely family photo!!

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  13. Richella,
    As a Mom of 2 sons who are now in their 30's, I love this post. I think of them as little boys and look at them now as hard working, smart adults . I am amazed at their sense of responsibility, their lack of prejudice toward all people no matter what race, religion or sexual orientation, their sense of right and wrong and what is fair and what is not and I realize that Joe and I did a good job!! At first, I could not believe that they were our sons!! LOL!! I actually enjoy more now as adults than when they were kids.....
    Congrats to all of you..what a beautiful family!

    Hugs,
    Deb

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  14. Congratulations! Wonderful family photo...I know you are all so proud! Congrats to Mom & Dad too :)

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