of the Rest of Your Life!

Well, after a mad, crazy, wild, chaotic summer, today is the day.  Zachary...true to form waiting until about 10:30pm to pack for college.  He was stalling.  On one hand he is totally psyched and ready for this and yet, on the other, he is scared to death.  He has spent the last week pretty much going crazy.  He has spent time with Cameron and Isaac, hanging out with his friends, jamming to Rockband?, working some odd jobs as a DJ and just panicking.  Alex didn't get home till about 1am Thursday morning and then had to go to school.  There seemed to be a steady stream of friends stopping by to say their goodbyes-all of them off to college this weekend....it wasn't easy and there were quite a few tears. A friend of the family gave Cameron some old Nintento 64 games.  Zach spent the better part of the afternoon/evening teaching Cameron how to play the games and reminiscing (the boys grew up on 64-and it is their dads' favorite gaming system-go figure).  After Alex got home from football practice, he and Zach relived some of their younger days and challenged each other to games they hadn't played in years.  Then about 10pm or so Zach decided it was time to pack.  Scary, huh?  Well he pretty much filled his car and the back of my suburban with stuff to live on for 2 years.  He'll come home only for a few days at Christmas.  At 5am this morning I was having to print out his class schedule because he has already lost it.....go figure-it's SO Zach! 

Even with all the craziness surrounding his departure, I know that once Zach gets to school and is in his element (surrounded by LOTS of computers and other computer geeks...his words not mine) he will do just fine.  Chances are VERY high that he will leave that college in 2 years with a great job in hand-they are well known for their job placement stats!  We will surely miss the big lug and he definitely leaves a huge hole in our daily lives but we know it   is   time.  His time for growing up, finding his place in society, starting the adventure of his life!

On another note, Alex has come home from his Mission Trip quite subdued.  We knew from his teachers and the boys that went last year that this trip would be lifechanging.  Not much phases Alex so we kind of held our breath.  With all of the Zach Chaos, Alex and his trip have been pushed to the back a little.  I was able to talk to him a little yesterday on the way to school.  Alex is not one to talk about his experiences and feelings and like his dad-journaling will never ever ever be one of his strong suits.  The Alex that left us on that Thursday morning was very very high-strung and self-oriented.  He has always been a great kid and strong Christian but his inability to see past his own wants and needs has often been a problem.  The Alex that came home this Wednesday night has been quiet, subdued and more thoughtful of others-mainly his brothers.  The old Alex would have come home and thrown quite the tantrum to see that his brothers had been in his room (mainly to play video games).  The old Alex would have torn Cameron apart upon finding out that he "borrowed" his iPod  and proceeded to lose it.  This new Alex  proceeded to come home and quietly tell me he was going to clean his room and do his laundry.  He patiently asked Cameron to try and find his iPod and even helped him out from under the bed-where the thing ended up being found.  This newer version of Alex didn't complain about wearing "Mass" uniform today.  I could like this newer Alex a bit...

While I thoroughly enjoy home schooling, it is opportunities like this lifechanging Mission Trip, the Life-Walk and other experiences that Alex gets to experience through the private school he attends  that reaffirm our decision and discernment that this would be the best for him.

When asked about his "high" point of the trip, Alex stated that playing with and just holding the little children in the shelters was his high point.  When asked about his "low" point...it wasn't the horrid stench that they dealt with all day ("mom' you would not have been able to take it), or changing soiled clothes and bedsheets of people to ill or disabled or young to do it for themselves, or bathing and cleaning up people who probably hadn't been clean in forever...it wasn't the cold showers or the different diet.  No complaints about any of that stuff that would certainly bother most people. When asked about his "low" point he simply said...mom the heat was bad.

When I asked him if he would participate again next summer he said.....yes, mom...in a heartbeat....I've already had Mr. Nichols put my name on the list.

Today, Alex goes back to school as a Junior at Pope John 23rd  High School.  He'll be on the football team and baseball team.  He'll participate in the Life Savers (the Pro-Life club) and the Men of Beatitudes (a young men's group that he founded last year).  He'll be happy and hyper and full of life...but inside this Mission Trip has made an impact on his very heart and soul.  Will he be perfect? No.  Will he be changed? Definitely yes! So even for Alex, today is the First Day of the Rest of His Life...

Good Luck my boys and Godspeed!