Change

I am going to title this post “Change  ” because that is what I and my family have been experiencing in the past two weeks.  Change can be good and most of the time it excites me, but this change alters life.  Let me start with the first change:

Garrett turns 16 and gets his drivers license.  These are pictures of his first day of school today.  Like a crazy mom I drove through his new high school and had to take a picture of his truck at his new high school….1 of 7!  (only Freshman and Sophomores in this school for now).

 

Second Change:
Elizabeth graduates from the University of North Texas:

 

Third Change:

Matt leaves the nest for Texas State Technical College to study graphic design and advertising! I don’t have any pictures yet at his new school!  I am so very excited for him, but when I saw his empty room…it hurt my heart!  

Fourth Change:

Today Pat took Pope, our dog for 13 years, to be put to sleep.  Our dogs mean so much to our family and he was so special.  He really was Pat’s dog and you could tell.  We found him 13 years ago at a marina in East Texas called Pope’s Marina, so the name stuck!  Pope traveled every weekend with Pat to and from the ranch.  He loved it and was so excited when Pat asked him “You wanna go to Hico!”  Pope would answer in is his own chatter!  I found a few pictures to share.

God leads us through many journeys in our lifetime and sometimes it is scary not knowing what the future holds.  But, God has shown me His presence and has assured me that He is with me and knows this journey in which is ahead.  In my experience of this change in our family since 2008, I have discovered that there are many gifts along the way.  Although there have been difficult days and days of tears, there have been  many more days of joy and peace that only comes from Him.  He has taken these trials to teach me more about Himself and prune me in ways that hurt, but I am a better and stronger person for it.  My faith is stronger and my goal each day is to surrender…but when I surrender, I have to trust and that doesn’t always come to easy. I have to trust Him with my children as they grow and leave this nest, So, embrace the change as it will come. 

xoxo