In August, our oldest son went away to a University...nothing causes more growth and change in a family than to have one member of the family embark on an adventure like that! We made our kitchen table smaller so that we wouldn't feel the impact of not having the oldest at our family mealtime gatherings. Cell phone calls and making care packages became things we cherished.

Almost instantly, I noticed a change in my oldest. He became the confident young man I knew he was capable of being. You see, when someone has been homeschooled since the very beginning, they wonder to themselves how they actually compare to the rest of the world. Sure homeschool mom's and dad's think their kids are way ahead academically...but the kid often needs to be convinced for themselves. For my son, it was not until he actually was in a classroom setting and found himself competing well with his peers did he gain that confidence.

The other day he urgently called me and asked me to "Pray!" because a class he needed to take in the spring was already filled to capacity. Then later he called me back and told me that at first he sent the professor an email and then actually went to a class the professor had just finished teaching, introduced himself and the professor allowed him to join the class roster. He said, "See Mom, a man needs to seize the moment if he wants to get some things in life." (I smiled to myself, knowing that he had come a long way in a few months, to actually have the confidence to present himself to the instructor and ask to be added to the class.)

Also, I noticed our 2nd oldest son begin to grow and mature over night. Sure, at first he tried to assert his new found position at the top of the son chain of command on his younger brother but the past few months has seen him begin to take control of his education. He is actually accomplishing more in a school day realizing that he is now preparing himself to be able to go to college one day.

That is what we hoped they would do, isn't it? To take charge of their lives. I am humbled and amazed that it seems to be happening in front of my eyes. I guess I really did think they would stay little forever.