(NOTE: i accidentally permanently deleted this original post along with the comments that originally went with it back in may. sorry!)
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well it’s been absolutely nutty around the escobar house (what’s new?). but honestly, it really has been a crazy week with my oldest son graduating from high school. it’s so hard to believe that this moment really came, my little bunny now heading off to college in a month (he’s going to the naval academy in annapolis). these 18 years came in a blink. the truth is that when josh was 7 years old, we had 4 other kids. one of my claim-to-fames is that for a few months i had 5 kids under the age of 7. i always tell him “i’m sorry you were our guinea pig, we didn’t really know what we were doing and i think we’ve gotten better over the years.” he assures us that we really are, indeed, good parents.
anyway, his graduation has made me think a lot about the past 18 years, how we’ve changed, where we’ve been. i can’t say i have a ton of regrets; sure there are things i’d definitely do differently and am trying to improve up on with the other 4 bunnies, but the reality is that we can only do the best we can when we are there. no question, parenting is definitely a spiritual formation adventure.
yeah, i’ve learned a lot. have a lot more to learn, too. but here are a few that come to mind today:
- grace is better than the law.
- our actions matter much more than our words.
- eventually they have to find their own faith no matter how may Bible verses they memorize.
- it’s easy to talk about unconditional love and much trickier to really give it.
- people are going to judge your parenting, there’s no way around it. just let it go, they aren’t in your shoes.
- the interrupt rule was worth it (all you growing kids god’s way’ers will know what i’m talking about).
- control is really the root of most all of the conflicts.
- becoming a safe person applies to parenting, not just other relationships.
- the best thing i ever did for my kids was put my butt in the chair and start to get honest about what was going on inside of me.
- letting go is hard to do.
- you might end up doing and saying things you swore you wouldn’t. don’t be too hard on yourself when it happens.
- public school is not of the devil.
- love covers a multitude of sins.
- humility is much easier to talk about than actually live out.
- don’t take ourselves too seriously.
- even though they leave, we’re never done.
- you can always make up for some of your mistakes with the younger ones.
we are leaving for a graduation getaway to el salvador, just our familia and 2 of josh’s friends at a free beach house, yeah! no cell phones, no tv’s, no computers. just us. can’t wait. see ya when i get back!