Letting Go

We dropped our oldest child off at college yesterday.  

We have three girls and with my husband often feeling out-numbered and out-talked, I am especially close to them.  Together, we've done quite a bit these last 18+years - shopped, baked, rode bikes, taken walks, played games, had special adventures, laughed until we couldn't breathe, and so much more.  

Being someone who reads anything (I read my husband's Family Handyman magazines when he was a subscriber so I can offer plenty of verbal instructions on building a shed from scratch or rewiring your home; just don't expect me to actually KNOW how to do those things), I soaked up every item pinned to the hall bulletin boards.  College is the most expensive fun a person can have, so I wanted to make sure my oldest knew about it all!  By the time I'd read and shared everything, my husband and I were ready to hand the car keys to her and tell her to head back home while we kept her room and returned to college ourselves!

While I feel an ache in my heart today, I'm also very very excited for her.  What touched me the most - to the point of (hidden) tears - was her anxiousness to quickly find a church.  She told us that she was worried she'd drift from her faith and "get into trouble" if she couldn't find a church to attend regularly.  When I heard that concern, I felt peace wash over me.  To spend 18+ years raising her and hear that her most pressing worry was drifiting from her faith in college gave me confidence to let her go.  I'll pray and lift her up before the Lord, knowing God's doing what I cannot.  

The cards I'm sharing today have nothing to do with my post, but are simply a reflection of the joy I feel in seeing my oldest take her first steps of independence, steps that are following right behind the Lord. My sweet, generous upline Lyssa Zwolanek of Song of My Heart Stampers inspired these cards.  I adore being a part of her team!  They lift my soul and make me happy!  I'll be attending OnStage in November, a Stampin' Up! demo event filled with lots of gifts and peeks of new product from upcoming catalogs.  I am so excited to see this wonderful team there!  We just had a team meeting Monday night on Facebook and I was looking forward to it all day.

I used the Daisy Lane stamp set and Medium Daisy punch to make these cards, along with the Shimmer Detailed Lace Specialty DSP.

Here are some other cards using these products.  Click on the photos to get the details:

What new beginnings do you have in your life?  If Stampin' Up! is something you are interested in beginning, whether as a demonstrator or as a new hobby, contact me.  I'd love to help you make your new beginnings happen!