Despite the waves of sickness (Simon is working his way through yet another round of antibiotics) and the not-so-incredible weather in December, there was one very sweet thread running through our days: togetherness.
Mathäus was home an entire month, once again bringing our number of kids under one roof to 8. I really can’t explain how lovely it was to wake up knowing that he’d be there at the breakfast table, sipping his coffee with too much milk and finding reasons to poke playfully at Phineas without being caught. It was also somewhat surreal to have solid evidence of how much has shifted in him in just one short semester away at college. He is so much more a man, so much more aware of who he is, how he impacts others, and what matters. At one point during one of our epic game-playing days, Christopher jokingly suggested Charades, which, well… has been a hill to die on for Mathäus. Seriously, he hates Charades. Has refused to play for years, will choose exile over being coerced into playing. I can’t tell you how many times that game has been a mood buster for the guy. But do you know what he said over break? “Yeah, that’s cool. I don’t really know why I’ve made such a thing out of it forever. I mean… it’s just a game, you know?”
Color me shocked. Color him… growing up.
Mathäus was returned to Bryan on Tuesday, ready to tackle a new semester. He’s got a heavier class load, but is looking forward to some truly interesting-sounding classes. He’s also hoping to play on an Intramural soccer team, continue enjoying his job at the library, keep up his daily runs, maintain his 4.0 GPA, and stay active in his chosen activities. You know… just life as a college student.
December also found Mary Hannah with a much more open schedule. While she was still busy with her online admin role at Classes By Beth Plus, she wasn’t teaching deep in the month, so she focused her time on correcting homework. That gave her an added element of flexibility, which we all enjoyed. She’s been wrestling with the possibility of transferring to Bryan College as well, and took steps over break to explore the option further. But break is over, so she’s back to her norm: teaching, yes, but also taking classes at Crown. This semester she’s excited to dig deeper into her history major and have more time on campus. After a month of being able to share a cup of tea with her whenever I wanted, I admit my Momma heart is having a pang.
Life with young adults is feast or famine in this season. They’re either all here, or almost utterly absent. I remember the early days of parenting, thinking that I’d never again have a Friday night to myself. I know now that it’s far from true. These two are bursting from the nest. Jack won’t be far behind. The years of adding new people have ended, and now comes the years of slowly saying goodbye. I’m grateful it’s gradual. I’ll need a whole host more Christmas breaks to help me prepare for the eventuality of no more chicks in the nest.