Trusting

Yesterday Justine did her driving test and passed, and now has her G2.  For those outside of Ontario, that means she can now drive on her own.  She took the test in our extended full-size van.  There are not many women I can think of that would want to drive it, much less parallel park with it, and certainly not take a driving test with it.  She did it, though.  Congratulations, Justine!

Last night she drove two of her sisters and three friends to catechism class at the church.  She's a good driver and she's driven that route many, many times before.  But still, I had a sick feeling in my stomach as I watched them drive away.  I do trust her.  She's a good driver.  But I know how easily and quickly things can happen.  I thought that having her G1 was frightening. It was. There was precious little we could do other than shout give advice, but at least we were there.  Now off she goes and we are left with our imaginations and no idea what is really happening.

As parents we are learning that we can only do so much.  We've been teaching and training and instructing for years, and then there comes the time when we have to start letting go.  Bit by bit we give them more space, more decision making opportunities and more occasions to test their wings.  It's harder than I thought it would be.  We are learning more and more to trust.  We can't always be there to 'hold their hands' but there is One who is always with them.  He is not limited as we are, and He loves them far more than we can.  When we let go so they can do something for the first time, they might not have us with them, but they do have His guiding presence.  We know that they are in His hands.

The Heidelberg Catechism expresses that trust and comfort so well in Lord's Day 1~

What is your only comfort in life and death?

That I am not my own,

but belong with body and soul,

both in life and in death,

to my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ.

He has fully paid for all my sins

with His precious blood,

and has set me free

from all the power of the devil.

He also preserves me in such a way

that without the will of my heavenly Father

not a hair can fall from my head;

indeed, all things must work together

for my salvation.

Therefore, by His Holy Spirit

He also assures me

of eternal life

and makes me heartily willing and ready

from now on to live for Him.

Isn't that beautiful?

And while our oldest is sprinting  towards the adult world, our youngest is quickly leaving the baby world behind.  Doesn't she look big here?  Cutting her hair has made her look so much older.

A few weeks ago we took the crib apart and set up her 'big-girl' bed.  I think she grew about three inches that day.  She loves being able to climb in by herself.  She's pretty good about staying in too, although every once in a while Emily has a visitor. On Saturday mornings when we sleep in she goes from bedroom to bedroom in search of someone who will wake up enough to take her in with them for a snuggle.

Colouring and tea parties are favourite activities right now.

I'm so glad that we'll have a little girl for a while yet.