it's started. . . .

Today the open house circuit began!  In the next few weeks we will be busy traveling from one open house to another!  I have to say I love this time of year, though I'm not happy I'm loosing another child to adulthood, it is however, a special time in these kids lives and it's a joy to be among the guests of these seniors my son has been friends with most of his school life.  I was talking to my friend today as we sat at her son's open house and said that it just seems like yesterday our boys were in 2nd grade together; in a blink of an eye we are staring down a new journey, a new path, these children will embark on.  I'm excited, yet saddened, at how our lives, too, will change.  It was so cute today, Jonah (the graduate) asked where our "bus" was as we climbed out of our van.  He hadn't realized that we no longer need the "15 passenger" van to get our family from point A to point B.  I overheard Blake tell him that we downsized to the mini van now! another era passed!  It will be strangely weird to have only 4 children home next fall; with equal numbers, 2 boys, 2 girls! The first time ever! I'm excited for my son yet a part of my heart breaks over the changes this will mean, no only for his dad and I, but for his younger siblings.  Don't get me wrong I LOVE change; I like to move my furniture around, change paint colors on our walls, etc, but changing up our family is just plain "tough".  It's all a part of God's plan, I know that, and realize that, but what He didn't let me in on was how much it hurts to "let go".  As with everything else in my life right now, I'm just going to take it "one day at a time" and "seize the day!"