Stretching Her Eagles’ Wings
August 28, 2022
Part of our educational philosophy is never to hold anyone back. That is sometimes the hardest part of being a homeschool mom, at least for me.
Friday, Christina, Louis, Thea, and I drove Becky to Pensacola Christian College for the start of her next level.
The car trip was fun. Louis and Christina kept playing songs Becky likes and saying, “oops, that’s not classical or hymns” which made everyone laugh and several discussions of songs and lyrics and morality erupt. We didn’t stop as often for potty or snack breaks as Louis thought we’d have to (Thea was too entertained with her big sisters and Christina, Thea, and I packed a bunch of snacks).
The campus was huge and iconic. Beautiful brick and magnificent stately trees reflected tradition and integration. I’m a bit nerdy; I loved the architecture and old fashioned style. Everything was electronic though! I had received an email asking for a physical copy of a specific document – and being leery of electronic access as I am, I brought the actual paper. Didn’t need it. The electronic version of the printed paper in my purse “transferred” perfectly from St Johns River without a thing from me. As Becky’s “authorized parent,” I was able to load into a portal on my phone that allowed me access to maps, her mailbox information, orientation information, even schedules and everything as if I were the student – Becky said it was creepy, I thought it was cool!
After crossing off the seven things (five on the “welcome” list, but with Becky under eighteen there were two paperwork drop offs and as she’s in the work program, she had a task for that as well) Becky had to do and being as much help (okay, Becky would call it hindrance) as possible, we decided (not precisely accurate, Louis decided) to go have a late lunch together just off campus.
Someone likes Becky’s new spot!
Mellow Mushroom. In Pensacola? I thought the one on Anastasia Island was the only… oops.
Finally, I ended up with a picture of my college girls. They thought it cool because both are Eagles and blue & gold & white. (Kimberly got in on that because she took her SAT at Pedro Menendez High School so she considers herself a “Falcon” and even has a Pedro Menendez Vystar card! She pulled it out and showed them the blue & yellow colors – “A falcon is a type of eagle” Kimberly claims.) Becky laughed because she and Kimberly plan on being Gators when they head for their Masters & Doctorate. (“trading the gold for orange” they claim) Remember that mustard yellow skirt? Becky’s pairing it with her beautiful navy blue blouse turns her outfit into her college colors!
I’ve been listening a lot to college plans since we encourage studying the path to what they want to do and finding various ways to access that final goal. There was a lot of path and plan discussion on that road trip.
I’m so proud of Becky for taking flight! I pray she has a wonderful experience and learns a lot. I pray she makes friends and connections that will last a lifetime! I pray she does her best. Her best right now is amazing me. I’m truly excited for her entering this stage.
Thank you, Jesus, for making it possible for us to help our children pursue their dreams! Thank you that each of them wants to help the other. Thank you that each wants to invest in their own education by working for it both financially and mentally. I’m so thankful for the blessing of Becky in my life! Thank you, Jesus, for allowing me the honor of being her mother!
As I’m driving back home, chatting with Christina as Thea and Louis sleep in the back, I think on how parents only really get to father or mother their children for a few years – they are on loan from God anyway as all of them are God’s children entrusted to us. “21 years” by TobyMac came on the radio followed by “Cinderella” by Stephen Curtis Chapman… God knows how music touches me. One bit in the “21 years” song that makes me smile is “21 years, what a beautiful loan,” (I thank you Jesus, for trusting us and “loaning” Becky – and the others, but this thought was really about Becky – to us) and in “Cinderella” the bit is “but I know something the prince never knew,” [meaning they grow up and go] and yes, girls become young women, make their own decisions, and I pray mine know they can still talk to me about anything.
Enjoy your “loans” with your littles! Enjoy every bit you can. God has trusted us with training and raising His beautiful children! Just like I love watching “my little gymnasts” (those I’ve coached, usually as preschoolers) as they rise, I love watching my girls become young ladies.
I love you, Becky! Let your light shine! Enjoy this adventure called life! Every day is a gift from God; that’s why it’s called the present!
Thank you for reading.
Type at you later,
~Nancy Tart