Unexpected Blessings....

When we wrote the first check for Tyler to go to the University of Central Florida in 2003, we were thankful that he had survived the high school years....and was accepted to a college that he was really excited about.   And...we were going to be EMPTY NESTERS!  It was a new chapter in his life as well as ours.

Tyler was surprised that I didn't cry when we dropped him off.   Really?  I had not had a full night sleep since he got his driver's license.   I was READY for this new season of life.    A couple of weeks after he started his classes, he messaged me (on AOL - this was a while ago!)   Just a "hey mom - how's it going".  I told him everything was going well.  He asked me what I was cooking for dinner.   I told him spaghetti.    He said "I miss how our house smells..."    

OK...that started the flood of tears.   Probably all the emotions that I had bottled up over the past three months of graduation/summer/college entry.   The tears only lasted a few days....(but...just FYI...I was sleeping well at night....I couldn't hear the sirens in Orlando)

I made frequent visits to Orlando.  Sometimes just for the day to stock the freezer with comfort food (spaghetti sauce, enchiladas, meatballs...)    We went to a football game with him.  I began to meet Tyler's college friends.   Then he got involved with the UCF Crew Team.   Great bunch on athletes.   Incredible group of friends for him.

They say that when you go to a big college (this one was over 40,000 students) you have to find a way to make it small.   Some students join a sorority/fraternity.   Tyler joined the crew team.   They were his small group...and his family.    We attended weekend events.   They rowed in Jacksonville and spent the night on air mattresses in our house.   We bought bananas and other snacks and took them to races.   We traveled to beautiful venues like Rollins and Oak Ridge. 

But most of all....we got to know this team.   We met the people on his boat.   We cheered the victories and mourned the defeats.   We met the families.   Actually...we became family.

These "kids" have all graduated now.   They are all successful in their chosen fields.   Our unexpected blessing is that they all consider us family.  They are in each other's weddings.   We've been invited to graduations...celebrations...weddings.   What an amazing gift.   We've traveled around to embrace these celebrations...and look forward to more to come.

We are so thankful for these friendships.   God is good...all the time!