10, 9, 8, 7...

Getting into the car the other day our son all of a sudden had the realization "I don't have that much time left in high school."

Ugh!

Wasn't I just here??

Were we not just processing launching our daughter?  Did I not pour all I was feeling into writing Bitter-sweet?

Why is it so hard the second time around???

Isn't it supposed to get better??

I have moments where the reality of our second child launching out of our home hits me deeply.

He is a big personality. Action, conversation, sports, music. He fills our home with energy, humor,
and love. Everything he does is fierce.

Envisioning our home without him feels weird, just like when we thought of our girl leaving.

There is just a great big hole...

Quin has been a whirlwind from the start. Taking his first steps before he was 8 months old, he was off running a week later and hasn't stopped since.

His brain is inquisitive and always needing to chew on something. He watches TEDtalks, researches things he has heard about and draws us into fascinating discussions on what is going on in the world and what he is learning.
I love how he processes information and interacts with it. It is fun!!

It has been a ride watching his mind grow, logic, reason, knowledge taking root and flourishing.

He is active and watching him take on sport and recreation has been so enjoyable. He is powerful, quick and strategic. He is growing in those abilities all the time and trying new things. I am glad that God gave him the chance to continue his sport at College next year. I am hoping we will be able to get to some games because I will miss watching him hit a ball!

He is a loving and protective brother. He cares deeply and is consistently reaching out to connect with his sibling. He is fun-loving, full of loving teasing. Watching you relate to your siblings will be one of the things we miss most!

Just this weekend we had the pleasure of watching him participate in the Music Festival after only 6 months of vocal training. He rocked it and it, was such joy to see him take that on.

Music took hold of him when he was 13, and he has taken a self-directed approach supplemented with lessons here and there for both Piano and Guitar.  He is a gifted musician and has an instinctive knowledge of theory.

God has also seen fit to give him a chance to develop those skills a little more next year. We eagerly anticipate what he will do with the interest, understanding, and ability God has given him. Can't wait to see it develop more!!

Watching Quin grow in his faith, understanding, and love for God has also been fierce. Like everything else, Quin does this with all he has got. When he wrestled with God, it was some of the most painful times we have endured. Bearing witness to this battle was very difficult for my heart. To see God patiently, lovingly earn Quin's trust and love was one of the most beautiful things I have witnessed. God was and is faithful. As we learned to be quiet and when to talk, as we wrestled in prayer and entrusted our son to Him and watched as God worked his will out in our precious boy's life, we learned to trust and wait.

Quin has had some sweet opportunities to share his faith with peers, invite people to their prayer group at school and to church. He is bold in ways that are true to how God has made him, and it has been a thrill to watch him embrace this. Just today my heart was overflowing as I watched him respond to the call of the Holy Spirit.

He is fun loving, extroverted and entertaining. There will be an emptiness in our home when he goes. We will miss that first-row seat to watching him grow, learn, develop and become who God has called him to be.

The joke is "Who are you going to replace me with Mom?!?"

I love having young people all around us. It is why we pick up a few more each year and add them to our table. We look for young adults who are away from their families and missing that family time.
We love these kids.

Each of them unique, gifted, and fun. They enter our family and allow us to enjoy their company and embrace them as our own.

We grieve deeply when life takes them away from our table, yet know God has good things for them. We trust Him to continue His work in their lives and keep us connected. They are, after all, family!

While these beautiful young people do not "replace" our kids. They fill our hearts. They keep us from being too lonely for the ones we are missing and give us a new adventure.  We are forever grateful to them for this gift of friendship and shared life journey.

Quin, just as your sister is, you ar irreplaceable!!

It has been a privilege and joy raising you. You amaze us in every way. There are no words adequate for how deeply we love you. We are incredibly proud of your character, integrity, wisdom and love for others. My soul grieves when I think of our home missing your laughter, jokes, music, intelligent ideas and conversation. Who you are is amazing and we are so honored to be your parents!

God has good things for you! Stay close to Him. Keep getting to know him. Talk to him, about everything. Learn to listen to Him. Follow where he leads. Keep God first, his rightful place in your life. Everything will come together in the correct time if you do. How incredible it will be to see who you become and what you do with all that God has given you and all he has planned for you!! We love you to the moon and back kid!!