My Man-child

When did it happen? When did my little boy get so grown up?

I've seen it coming - the lowered voice, the facial hair, the fact he's quite a bit taller than me now. ;-)

All grown up!  How, when?

But lately -- it's become VERY apparent.

He's been applying to colleges and for jobs.

Back up the wagon..... COLLEGES?????  JOBS?????  Like, real sorts of jobs - not just the 'community paper' route like he had in Cincinnati.

In the last month he's had an interview to be a server/housekeeper for a local restaurant/hotel; he's mucked a pond for a neighbor; been hired to move and stack firewood; considered for helping a neighbor's dad with his ammo business doing odd/end jobs; just today he was asked if he'd be interested in helping move brush from a road and several cabin drives; and..... as I type he's at a ranch  stacking hay bales, mucking stalls, rounding up cattle and other such 'ranchy' type jobs - which appears to be something that may become an 'ongoing' opportunity that pays quite well.  {Where can I sign up?}  LOL!  He's also being sought out by neighbors for window cleaning and the like.  He's.  Growing.  Up!

Not to mention he now volunteers at the library. He's actually the only person there when he volunteers (outside of patrons). He's in CHARGE!

Today's fun first was reading time with the local elementary school kids. They all piled in; he read them a book about Albert Einstein; then the kids checked out books and asked questions.  He was pleased many of them expressed an interest in becoming a Scientist after their brief time at the library with him.

Wow!

He's a man-child now.  Not my little boy.

In just a short 10-11 months he'll be leaving the nest, spreading his wings, venturing out on his own.

Cue tears here. :-/

That means a little less than a year to cram in the rest of the values we want to instill.

Yes, I understand we've done most of what we can do.  

We've taught him to make his own choices, his own decisions.  He's doing that more and more. Sometimes wisely, sometimes...... well......

Jobs and college are just the beginning.

We're proud of him as we watch him work through the process of choosing a college. Not just looking at which one is most prestigious, but taking into consideration how it will impact his faith, his finances in the future, as well as the level of academics he'll receive.

As of this week his top 5 college choices were:  the University of Wyoming; The Colorado School of Mines; Stanford; Cal Tech; and Southern California at Berkley.  


Some pretty close, some..... not. so. much!  But.... at least MIT is off the table as is Harvard.  Not sure my mommy heart could take him being THAT far away.  :-(

I cannot lie - my mama's desire is to have him at UW -- close enough to come home on weekends (if we wants); to attend the church here and continue getting strong doctrinal teaching; and close enough for us to take him out to dinner and 'catch up' on his life more than once a year.  :-) (Ok, weekly if he'd be willing.)

However, my trust and faith are placed in Jesus.  I KNOW God has a plan for Jacob.  God knows where Jacob will best serve him. Where he'll grow to be what God would have him be.  

As we walk this journey, my prayer will be that I continue to trust in God to lead the way for Jacob. That I continue to give him over to God -- knowing God's Will is MUCH better than ANYTHING I might plan.  To remember that Jacob is HIS first - just on loan to Techno and I for a time here on earth. I cherish this time we have him, but I also look forward to seeing what God's going to do with and through him.

Using power tools qualifies as being in the 'man-child' category.

He's an amazing young man, my man-child.  It will be an honor to watch and see all that God does through his life.