We so enjoyed celebrating Kyle's High school Graduation!
Can you believe there's only one more to go after this? Mother dear is going through a bit of withdrawal to have such a small class (as in, one little Annabelle Miller girl) for the next five years. But she's very good at recognizing that all those years in which we were under her tutelage were only days to prepare us for new adventures and callings (not days to simply keep us safe and warm under that motherly wing). And as a child of hers, I'm so glad for that release and blessing.
Last weekend I came home at 3:00 a.m. from having been out of town for the day (because when you're 21 you do that sort of thing). I turned on the lamp in my dark room and was pleasantly surprised to find my covers turned back; ready for me when I got home. Mother's touch. But there was also a book that lay open by my pillow. It was a book of poems and quotes by Janette Oke paired with lovely, story-telling pictures. I read the quote that was printed largely on the page across from a soft picture of a little girl snuggled in her mother's arms...
"For now, I hold you close
but the day must come when I release you to be all that the has planned for you to be"
And then I cried.
Because I feel it too -- the tug, the ache, the change that keeps coming with every year I get older. Growing pains are for parents and children alike, I think. I feel it as I get busier than I've ever been, have much on my plate, and all the while a hundred ideas and plans of what I'd like to do or may do in the future buzz around in my mind. It's here that those mother arms seem more inviting then ever. Because she doesn't force them around me, I long for them and gladly invite them into my life.
I wasn't going to go into all of that, but I suppose that's all to say; we're excited to see Kyle take a new step! We're excited to see the plans the Lord has for him that are still unfolding.
Can you believe there's only one more to go after this? Mother dear is going through a bit of withdrawal to have such a small class (as in, one little Annabelle Miller girl) for the next five years. But she's very good at recognizing that all those years in which we were under her tutelage were only days to prepare us for new adventures and callings (not days to simply keep us safe and warm under that motherly wing). And as a child of hers, I'm so glad for that release and blessing.
Last weekend I came home at 3:00 a.m. from having been out of town for the day (because when you're 21 you do that sort of thing). I turned on the lamp in my dark room and was pleasantly surprised to find my covers turned back; ready for me when I got home. Mother's touch. But there was also a book that lay open by my pillow. It was a book of poems and quotes by Janette Oke paired with lovely, story-telling pictures. I read the quote that was printed largely on the page across from a soft picture of a little girl snuggled in her mother's arms...
"For now, I hold you close
but the day must come when I release you to be all that the has planned for you to be"
(That thing laying by the book...that's my childhood "blankie")
And then I cried.
Because I feel it too -- the tug, the ache, the change that keeps coming with every year I get older. Growing pains are for parents and children alike, I think. I feel it as I get busier than I've ever been, have much on my plate, and all the while a hundred ideas and plans of what I'd like to do or may do in the future buzz around in my mind. It's here that those mother arms seem more inviting then ever. Because she doesn't force them around me, I long for them and gladly invite them into my life.
I wasn't going to go into all of that, but I suppose that's all to say; we're excited to see Kyle take a new step! We're excited to see the plans the Lord has for him that are still unfolding.
Mom always spends many an hour creating a photo book for each of us to present of our graduation. Having a picture book of your life is both warming and frightening. :)
It was fun to have a joint open-house with one of Kyle's good friends, Raven.
(They really were happy...but when you're sipping iced coffee one must be mysterious.) 
Dad presented Kyle's written blessing during family lunch before the party.
They're cool guys. We can't wait to see where God will take them in the next steps of their lives.
Naturally, the night was concluded with playing volleyball until 2:00 a.m. :)
Excerpts from May
Some family love after a refreshing week of input time at a family conference.
Mother and I enjoyed spending Mother's day with some lady friends at the Builtmore Estate. There was a long drive and long lines, but that was half the fun because having plenty of time to talk is too good to be true.
You'll find the Miller household often packed with youth on the weekends -- whether from far or near. On this lovely Sunday evening we had a bunch of youth from Church over to finish off leftovers form the graduation party and...to be together (because we love that).
When it got too dark for bocce ball, spike ball, volleyball, and corn hole, we opted for group games and singing worship songs late into the night.
And here's a random picture of the siblings practicing a few new songs for the next tour out. With everyone having work and social schedules of their own when we're home, we have to call "scheduling meetings" quite often so we can actually get things like practice and family time in.
