Eager to see Ed

Before...

Six months ago in mid-July we drove Ed down to Kansas City to begin his six-month internship at the International House of Prayer. Since that time he has spent most of his days in class, serving at the ministry center or praying in what they refer to as the Global Prayer Room, where for the last 12 years there has been day and night prayer and worship. He’s made a lot of new friends, introduced the Muffin Joke to the IHOP-KC community and has pretty much loved every minute of his time there. He graduates on Tuesday and this Saturday Linda and I will be heading south to retrieve our son. As far as we are concerned, we can’t wait.


The cleanest version of the Muffin Joke I could find on-line

I think of all that has happened since he’s been gone that he’s missed out on – “the 40” camp-out, Grandpa Darrell’s 75th soiree, Emma’s 16th Blessing Celebration, our annual visit to the Orchards, the 20 Year Celebration at Refuge, Thanks-bringing, the Indoor Marching Concert, and the Annual Candlelight Worship Service at the Wiesner Chapel. He missed all but one meet of the C-W Cross Country season, deer hunting and Thanksgiving. At each gathering, at every meet, at Refuge and at Focus, his presence has been (by me) keenly felt.

Notably absent...




The closest he got to our Thanksgiving celebration

 At first I shared his excitement of being on a new adventure and missed him in a cursory manner. But as the weeks and months have passed, my longing for his company has grown keener. I have missed the joy of bantering movie, Seinfeld, and Chad Vader quotes with him at dinnertime, his laughter after sharing the quintessential Edwardian quote “You can lead a horse to water but a pencil must be lead” for the ten thousandth time and the simple joy of watching him go out on yet another run. The long and short of it is I miss my son.

When our friends Rick & Sandy blessed us by flying him home for his mid-term break back in October, those four days were very special – he came to practice and ran with the team, he was there for Sam’s baptism, he was at Focus, he connected with former classmates and teachers. He was home. It was a sheer gift which Linda and I reveled in. Throughout this six-month season of his life fairly regularly he has either borrowed someone’s cell and phoned home (thanks, Sarah, Josh, et. Al.) or skyped us on Thursdays from Higher Grounds, the coffee shop next door to the House (of Prayer). But as neat as these mediums are there is nothing quite like being there. And soon…soon we’ll be there.



With his teammates again in early October...



...and with his fellow members of Focus

That first night he’s home-home I hope I can beat off the temptation to be like the mother in Robert Munsch’s wonderful book, Love You Forever. But in my mind’s eye I see myself doing just this very thing. I’ll try and be discreet.

I realize it is the way of things – little kids grow up to leave home and ultimately make one for themselves somewhere else. My father did it and I did, too. And I’m fully aware that this first leaving will not be his last – that he will go off to some state school or return to IHOPU and, eventually, call another place home. It is yet another reminder to me that these years that we have our children all under one roof, stressful as it can be at times, is also a gift over before we fully appreciate it.

We have tickets for the Packer-Chief game at Arrowhead Stadium this Sunday and according to the most recent weather report it’s supposed to be sunny with a high of 52. It will be my first regular season professional football game. And unless the Pack travels all that way to lay an egg, it should be an exciting atmosphere for those of us who wear the green and gold. To be there will be awesome but to be there with Linda and Ed will be, yes, priceless.