The 2009-2010 School Year will be another year of letting go.  The boy that was my youngest for 7 years is a Senior in High School!  Alex has to make the most changes so far.  He went from being the baby of the family to being a middle child.  Then, from middle child, he took on the role of oldest child when both his older siblings graduated and left home.  He got a car at an age when the older two were still taxi'ed' around by mom and dad.  He is learning to support himself at an age when the older two were still totally reliant on parents.  So far, he has done an amazing job.  We still have to remember he is still young.  He will be graduating from high school at 17! 
Of all our kids so far, Alex is more "well-rounded".  I know it's due, in part to his personality, but it is also due to being put in many different roles and situations.  Alex is active in many things and wants to try many things.  The good thing is that whatever he's involved in, he gives 100% to. 
Alex has watched his two older siblings go through high school (public), graduate, and move on.  He has learned from all of this.  For as long as we've ever heard him talk about growing up, he has wanted to be a Marine.  Now, seeing his sister go through the military, and talking with her about her experiences, he has decided on a different path for now.  His older brother has gone off to the technical school (which is now a technical college) to pursue a career in computers and is now contemplating another career change/move.  We have ALWAYS told our children that God has given them gifts and talents and has a plan for them.  A four year or more college education isn't the path for everyone, no matter WHAT today's society would have us believe!  My husband and I both have Associates Degrees and my husband has been able to support us .....most of the time quite well, on just that education, plus hard work and determination ...oh and a love for what he does! 
Alex has decided on something with Mechanical Engineering and cars.  Instead of jumping into a 4 year school, he has come up with his own plan.  He wants to go to the same Technical school his dad and I went to, learn how to work on cars and get his mechanics certificate.  In 2 years he will have a marketable career!  Then he wants to transfer over to a 4 year school, and use that education he then has to work on cars and help pay for his way through school and gain valuable experience in the field.  Not bad for a teenager! 
We try hard not to "live through our kids."  We've seen that happen many times.  We parents have no business telling our kids "what" they should become!  When my husband graduated, his parents basically said...you will go to this school and take this course and get this job-as long as they were having to pay for the education.  Like a good son, that's what my husband did.  Fortunately, the course chosen for him was one he enjoyed but never would have been his first choice.  To this day my husband has regrets about not pursuing the career he desired with all his heart....record/music production. He also wanted to play in a band.  That was cut short and stifled by what someone else said he "should" do.  Again, we're fortunate that he enjoys working with electronics, but is that the career that would have been closer to his heart ? No.  Now that he's older, he's having to live some of that life on the edge.....

As a parent, it is very hard to truly "let go" of our kids.  They have been our responsibility for so long!  I think it does get easier with time (and experience) but with some kids it is harder than others.  While I know Alex will do well where ever he chooses to go and no matter what he chooses to do, it is still hard sometimes to say-well son, it is YOUR life....how can I help and support you?  That is what God wants of us parents at that point!  The bible says to "train up a child in the way he should go".....that IS our job....not hold their hands forever!  Cutting the apron strings (as my kids like to put it), is harder for me than it is for my kids!!!  Just yesterday we had a discussion about Homecoming.  Alex is pretty ambivalent towards it....I on the other hand am going nuts...it's his SENIOR year for goodness sake.....of course he has to go to Homecoming! LOL!!! My husband just chuckles at me......"let him go" my husband says.
Easier said than done....

He is my little boy, you know!