I haven't felt compelled to write for awhile - not sure why.  We have continued our Monday Night Supper, but we tried everything I'd always wanted to try and hadn't, so the past few weeks have been less than inspired.  We even had KFC one Monday when I didn't feel like cooking! We've moved on to more fellowship, less experimentation.

This next week will be our last Supper with John.  He leaves Sunday, August 12th for the Marine Corps.  It has come too soon, and yet, in a strange way, not soon enough.  He's been so ready to go, it has felt like waiting for the other shoe to drop since April. I am so dreading his leaving, but so excited for him as he begins his new adventure.  I am hearing all kinds of well-meaning comments from friends and family and am such a jumble of emotions right now.  It's impossible to know, when you are leaving all you've ever known, that you actually won't be back.  Yes, you come back to visit, hopefully for long times and often, but it is never really 'home' again.  I don't think he realizes that. I've had several people with military experience (both personally or with familiy members) tell me that he won't be the same person after boot camp.  I know that, too, but I have faith that he will be a better person.  My prayer for him is that he takes his faith, his compassion, his caring and his sense of humor with him wherever life leads him. (I got a brand new box of Kleenex for work but didn't think to get one for home....good thing I have napkins.)

I am so proud of the man he has grown up to be.  I am also very pleased with the young woman he has chosen to share his life. I hope we can all come together to give them the wedding they want and deserve in November. It will be nice to have a distraction during those long 3 months he is gone and can communicate only through snail mail.

A former Sailor at work told me this week that the three strongest memories he has from his adult life are his wedding, the day his son was born, and seeing his mother sobbing as he left for basic training.  John is facing two of those in the next three months, but my wish for him is to have many, many more happy emotional memories.  I have spent my life shutting myself off from people and emotions and I want him to welcome both. 

The next week will be hard.  There will be tears and smiles, laughter and new memories.  At the end of the day, though, I put my trust in God and know that He will be there with us all, through it all and bring good things to pass.

Amen.