My boy left yesterday and it will be two years before I’ll see him.
No, I wouldn’t choose winter for Tanton to leave. Think of all he’ll miss: Hockey games, building snow jumps and snowboarding down them, Christmas lights, late nights reading books under a cozy blanket, family dinners, doing doughnuts on a snowy night in the parking lot. No–I wouldn’t choose Winter.
No, I wouldn’t choose spring for Tanton to leave. Think of all he’ll miss: Easter Egg hunts, planting flowers, flying kites, watching our trees blossom, cleaning up the yard, birds hatching in the nest in our trees, Memorial Day, putting flowers on graves at the cemetery. No–I wouldn’t choose Spring.
No, I wouldn’t choose summer for Tanton to leave. Think of all he’ll miss: Our annual Lake Powell trip, riding his motorcycle, gazing at the stars, the 4th of July, No–I wouldn’t choose Summer.
No, I wouldn’t choose fall for Tanton to leave. Think of all he’ll miss: carving pumpkins, corn mazes, the beautiful colors of the trees, Thanksgiving, his birthday. No–I wouldn’t choose Fall.
Tanton did leave us on a cold, winter-like day–November 10, 2010.
I got to spend quite a bit of quality time with Tanton in the months before he left. We even had a mother-son day 10 days ago and spent the day in Salt Lake together. What a well prepared young man. I am not worried about him not being able to take care of himself...he can cook for himself, he can do his laundry, he has been very independent for the last few years. He has a great head on his shoulders, and most of all he is being watched over by his Heavenly Father.
I thought I’d be an absolute wreck and would spend the next few weeks crying. I’m surprised at the peace and joy I feel. Yes–he’s missing out on all the fun winter activities we will be having. But–he’s spreading his wings and flying and there’s nowhere I’d rather him be.
Be
God be with you ’til we meet again–in the Fall/Winter of 2012.
