Roller Coaster of Emotions

I usually love roller coaster rides. But I am not sure that this roller coaster of emotions is something that I like. There are so many amazing things going on in our life and we can't help but be grateful for all of the blessings. And yet, because life is changing, rapidly at that, while there are extreme highs, the reality of all of the changes sometimes hit you between the eyes! We knew this day was coming, and we are even excited about it... but we have dreaded it also.

Kimi moved today. Life will never be the same again. It will surely be better, more wonderful, more exciting... but the reality is that our sweet baby girl who gave us such a scare in the beginning of her life and who we have worried over as she has grown up, is now really a woman who is ready, anxious and excited to start her life as a wife to a man that she is completely in love with, with a home of her own. She packed her stuff in her car last night, so excited that she surely didn't even notice the look on her dad's face... or see the sadness in her sister's eyes. Of course she didn't. Maybe she isn't even supposed to right now. She is off to her new adventure... so full of hope for all that is about to be. She babysat for a friend one last time last night. She took her little sisters and brother and they loved it... but she came in this morning to get the rest of her stuff and to say happy Father's Day to her dad and she really didn't have a clue that her dad was near tears and her sister who has been her best friend for their entire lives... the little sister she prayed so hard for, is aching because she is losing her best friend. It just won't ever be the same. They will still be close. But for now, Matt is Kimi's everything.... just as it should be! So how is it possible to have absolute joy, while feeling like your heart is walking away???? I know it is normal. Thayne and I were talking about it tonight and I told him that I could not wait to be married and have his last name.... I didn't even realize that I had my dad's last name for 18 years, and that it must have hurt him to watch me become somebody else's that day. I realize now... but only because I learned what it feels like to love a child. She will one day realize what this cost her dad... he was there when she was born, he prayed over her, for her, blessed her to be healed when they told us there was no hope and now he is smiling through his tears to give her to another man... the smile is real. He is thrilled for her, and so am I. But the tears he cried as she walked away were every bit as real. She is a grown up, starting her grown up life and we feel like shouting for joy for her... but the tears are still there.

So sweet daughter... enjoy this wonderful time in your life. You only feel the joy right now. There will be days when you will be homesick, but we know that your place is with your husband, starting on your own journey to forever! Just as it should be. We will continue to smile for the life you have found. But we will not promise that there won't be any tears simply because you are gone, that you are not just in town, or that you are gone for the weekend. You are really gone, in a beautiful new home of your own living out your dreams! We are happy for you! No, we are thrilled for you!!! It will never be the same. But it isn't supposed to stay the same, we can only grow through living! Love your husband. Honor him and keep him always as your best friend. Laugh with him. Keep dating. Confide in him, first, before anyone else. Never let another into your relationship. He should always be your first priority. The greatest thing you can ever do, for you and for him is to never bad mouth him to another person. Treat him as the man you know he should be, and he will become that great! Good men will live up to the way you treat them... and he is a very good man. Enjoy the next few days, weeks and months of being married. And then, in years to come, when you thought that you loved him as much as humanly possible, you will realize that you were only learning about love and that you really know what love is... only to learn that over and over. Your love can grow and grow. It is forever. It is not something that we discard when the going gets tough... but in fact it becomes it's best as you walk together through the trials that life will throw at you. Find gratitude in all you have... for you truly have a lot! Being happy doesn't mean everything is perfect... happiness comes when you can look past the imperfection. Love you sweet girl! And above all else... don't forget to come 'home' and visit!!! And your dad says to know that we will be there to visit you!!!