Can I get a big Amen?
My 20s didn't include living with girlfriends and sharing everything from tank tops to toothpaste. So, you can imagine my excitement over spending four days with my daughter in her dorm last week.
When I got off the plane, there was my beautiful grown-child waiting to escort me to my temporary digs.
Meghan excitedly led me to the temporary place she calls home, her dorm. The odiferous scents of Bath and Body Lotions and microwave popcorn greeted me in the hall and battled it out for first place. Sleeping in her room that evening was going to be fun, right? After a long day of travel and meeting many precious gals, I bedded down for the night. I was sure I was fitting right in, I thought, as I climbed under the covers.
Was I sleeping on a ping pong table? What type of college trickery was this? How can anyone sleep on a mattress as comfortable as a cement slab? My back caught and immediately reminded me of my middle age. What had happened? I used to be the life of the party. Reality hit me like a baseball bat between the eyes.
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| Before I realized I would be sleeping on a ping pong table. |
After four days of living at The Master's College, I learned a few things:
- The next generation has given me hope for our future. Worshipping with a thousand, twenty-somethings, has a way of piercing your heart. I wish I could attend chapel three days a week with those amazing kids. Chatting with young women about future plans and faith in God does a mother's heart good.
- College has no bed time. "Mom, would you like to attend the 9:30 pm prayer meeting?" "9:30? Oh honey, God isn't up that late. I think there's a scripture somewhere that says He only takes prayers until 9pm, let me go find it." I tried to convince her. Seriously, those girls are up studying and hanging out until the wee hours of the morning. Yeesh.
- 43 is a great age. Grey hair, flabby arms, and bifocal contacts - yeah, I'll take em'. I wouldn't go back to my twenties if I could.
Stepping back on the plane and heading home, I realized a few things; God has a hand on my precious child. I happily embrace my age. And, I'm not as cool as I thought.
14 comments:
Hey - I think you are pretty cool! And 43 is much younger than 50...
Seriously - what a fun thing to do. More memory making!
PS - stop at my blog to see what great things are happening in my life!
Love this! And for the record - I think you are pretty cool - but hey that's one 40 something suburban mom to another!
As I was reading your blog especially about the girlie scents battling it out in the dorm, I had to giggle. Paul will encounter scents very different from these when he goes to visit young David. Oh the joys of being a mother. I bet you relished every moment of it! See....you're cooler than ya think! hugs!
whatever...you're so the coolest!
Forget cool...any mom who has a daughter in college has got to be really brave. I'm glad that won't happen for another 10 years for me! :-)
I will be 43 in July. That must mean that I am as cool as you! So thankful to hear how God has your precious daughter in His grip!
Well I'm 27 lol, but I still enjoyed going through your blog. I decided to comment after I saw you were a fan of baklava. I was born and raised in Croatia, in that part of the world baklava's are almost sacred, so that made me smile. Have a blessed day.
Thank you for coming by. I appreciate your words. Such hard times for this mama here. I hope someday I'll get to spend the weekend with my daughter in her dorm room.
I love reading your take on things, Joanne. Such a hoot! You are way cool in my book... and your book, coming out too!
As we slip into bed at 9:30 PM and mumble our end-of-day prayer, God moves on to the prayers of the youngins up til the wee hours--gotta be somewhere in Proverbs...
you are pretty cool in these parts...and, quite frankly, I am sure your daughter thinks your visiting was pretty cool too!! ;)
Sounds like so much fun!! And I think you're very brave for going to the dorms... I'm not sure I could hack it... staying up past 9:30?! Gah! Not sure I could do it!
Hilarious!!! Glad I'm not the only one, in oh-so-many of the ways you mention. The only reason I know God's up past 9 is when I work the graveyard shift, lol. Even then, I sometimes wonder. By the way, you don't look a day older than your DD! What a gorgeous pair! e-hugs to you!
I spent one week a year for three years in my son's dorm room with my him. It was during a Bible lectureship at the college. I got to attend lectures and hang out with him and his buddies. It was a wonderful experience. Like you, I came away with a lot of great expectations for this generation of kids. I know there are many that are lost and wondering, but there are a lot of parents who did a great job raising kids for the Lord.
To your comment: "I'm not as cool as I thought," I would counter, "probably more than you thought," at least to your daughter and her friends. The time I spent with Wes I got to be pretty good friends with some of his buddies, and we talked about ministry, marriage, family, etc. I'll bet you had some of those discussions, too, and those girls will appreciate it.
Good post.
Joanne,
You are delightful and I LOVED this story. My daughter heads to college in two years. Oh how I hope I don't bawl for an entire year. Love you my friend. LOVE your new website too. Hugs. Let me know when you are doing a big launch and I will share. Hugs.
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