Journal Entry July 30, 2014

Here we are again, two years later and we are getting ready to let another one of our precious shells into the big wide ocean.  We are having another family outing on Camano Island today.  Our last one this summer.  In less than two weeks Shaney will be moving back to Provo and soon after that Jared will leave on his mission.  I ponder as I look out over the tide coming in.  It sure is taking it's time to fill the breadth and space of the beach.  But before you know it, as soon as it is all the way in, it will be on it's way out to sea again.  Kids are like that.  They take their time to fill the magnitude of what they will be while they are with you, and then just as they come into themselves, they leave you to hope that, as their parent you did a good job of raising them.  You hope and pray that they will remember all that you taught them, and that they will use those lessons to be productive and caring adults.  After this summer our family unit will never be the same again.  Shaney may very well add a member to our family before Jared gets home, and Jared will probably never really live at "home" again.  This saddens me for my temporary loss as well as fills me with hope and joy that my children will get to experience the awesome thrill of independence and of, one day, teaching and loving and raising children of their own.  So far I am pleased with the results of how my kids are turning out.  They make me so proud.  And I love them so much.  I'll put my precious shells up to my ear, and I'll hear that they belong to me, and they will come back to me someday.  A heartfelt kiss, a gentle toss into the big wide ocean, and a prayer that they will be okay.  They'll be fine.