New life in the New Year

Firsts for the first month of the year

• first semester our oldest will have Fridays off
• first semester my daughter is not in school and now working full time for the first time
  
• first semester that my son will be in school outside of our house
• first semester that the youngest is the only student at home

We find ourself, again in the midst of change. The cheese continues to move. Hmmm, maybe I should just give up eating cheese, might simplify my life and save the budget a bit. Oh if it were only so simple. Life brings change, movement and growth.

My neighbor encouraged me this weekend with his words "Let him go" as in , let your son grow up. learn and stop mothering. A tough challenge for this mom who so enjoys mothering- yet sage advice that keeps reaching my ear and heart. I keep finding myself in the midst of "mothering" or about to and more and more catching myself before speaking mothering words. A tough thing to stand by and allow children the space to test the waters of life, tread water a bit and find their stride to keep them afloat. They know we are standing ready for them, our hearts long for them to suceed well, but it means letting go and letting them "risk" and strive even as we do a child learnign to walk.

So this semester as some find new routines, new locations and new situations there is also newness for me. Perhaps a few more hours to fill in the middle of the day, perhaps new focus on lessons for the youngest or perhaps another season of passing the baton to my young lady in the making... who knows what lies ahead. I do know that this journey in the maze, chasing the cheese has one constant.... change.

Hmm... the smoked cheddar sure smells good, time to find the crackers and follow the scent.