Endings.

I realize I have let the Blog World down for awhile, so I am making up for it by posting BACK-TO-BACK!  You are pumped.  I know it.  I just have some memories I want to treasure, so I am going to take this time to share a few stories from recent days that have a common theme: endings.  They say "All good things must come to an end!"  Who are "they", anyway?  Well I disagree with that statement because Jesus promised everlasting life, and everlasting is the opposite of an ending, and life with Jesus is a good thing.  So, BOOYAH "they" people!  BOOYAH!

At the same time, some good things do come to an end sometimes, but that only means a new beginning, and that's not such a bad deal.

Enough rambling, get on with the content.

Ending #1: Graduation

These most beautiful ladies are some of my favorite people of all time.  God blessed me with the opportunity to mentor these girls through some of their middle and high school years.  It's a shame I did not start this blog sooner.  We have so many funny memories that I wish I could list them all... but that would be lengthy, and not as funny to anyone else but us.

I intended to stay with them all the way through senior year, but God put a certain someone in my life who whisked me away to another land far, far away.  However, I kept my promise to them that I would come back for One Weekends and their graduation.  AND I DID.  I just think it's dumb that I was like the only one who cried as they stood in front of the church for Senior Sunday, and they were all about to walk away without getting a picture.  Umm, not acceptable.  I did not drive all the way to the Boro to not have a picture for the monumental occasion! 

Elizabeth, Sarah, Audrey, Ellie, Rachel, Madison, Sara, Natalie, Jenny, and Bayleigh

I was also super excited to go to my precious Audrey's graduation ceremony.  I wish they all were at the same school... or at least had different graduation times.  Alas, I had to make a tough choice.  But Audrey was going to be giving a speech and singing a duet.  There was no way I could miss it.  Just look at her grownup self!

I can't wait to see what God does with each and every one of their lives!

Ending #2: Dwayne's last Ignite

I'm so overjoyed to have a husband who loves to impact lives for Christ.  I know it was very difficult for him to leave this youth group that he has been pastoring for 5 years.  I tried to make it special for him by asking the students and leaders to write encouraging notes and by providing Florida themed treats.  Wavy Lays, Goldfish, Oreo Beach Balls, and Florida shaped sugar cookies thanks to my father-in-law who whipped out a cookie cutter for me in a matter of minutes!

One of D's closest students who is now in college... Taylor "The General"

Ending #3: Leaving Watt Hardison

These are my Firstie Friends!  We rocked in teaching our kiddos to read!  Most of our first graders were reading at 4th and 5th grade levels by the end of the year!!!

These ladies not only kept me sane at school, but in life as well.

This was my elementary principal who I adored.  By God's design, I was able to reunite unexpectedly with her, and she offered me a job only 20 minutes from where I would be moving as a married woman!  So thankful for the two years we were able to spend together creating a new friendship!

This is Dwayne helping me pack up the rest of my room.  I don't think he realized how much stuff I had until this moment.  Almost every tub you see in this picture is filled with picture books.  This doesn't even touch my chapter book collection which currently resides at my mom's home.

I cried as we pulled away from the school and it hit me that this room no longer belongs to me.  So much happened in those two years.  So many lives were changed... mine included.  

There it is.  All my school stuff that I felt I needed to keep.  Sitting in a storage room.  Wondering when  it will all be used again.

Ending #4: Last Senior Trip (which also included juniors and graduates)

We enjoyed our trip to Destin with such an amazing group of students.  Our stay was amazing and the room was gorgeous!

Poor kids have no idea how to put on sunscreen.  The FIRST DAY they all came back with the most ridiculous burns.  I had to capture the silliness.

These guys are so goofy.  There was so much testosterone, and I had to remind my husband at times that he was an adult!  It was great to see D in his element with his boys.  He is going to miss them tremendously.

Fun at the beach.  Did you know that sand helps you grow?  From top to bottom there is Nathan, Sloan, Brock, and Taylor.  They stayed that way for awhile and had many people taking their picture.

Jordan, Nathan, Niki, Brock, Taylor, Sloan, and Austin.  This trip will be implanted in our hearts and minds for the rest of our lives.

Ending #5: Loss

The most challenging ending we had to deal with recently involved the loss of life taken too soon.  Just two short weeks after we returned from the trip, we received news that 17 year old, Sloan Dailey, had passed.  Dwayne obviously had a hard time taking it in because we had just spent a week with him having fun and relaxing.  Did we miss the signs?  Could we have prevented this?  It just seemed so surreal.

Obviously, we cannot put his passing on ourselves.  We can't live with the worry that we could have done something to change the outcome.  The true blessing is to see what God has done in the midst of this tragedy.  Sloan's mom is a living testimony of faith in a time of struggle.  She wants more than anything for people to find hope in the knowledge that he is now rejoicing in the arms of his Savior.  He is no longer in pain.  His funeral brought more people to our church than I had ever seen there.  Every seat was full, and the walls were lined with loved ones.  The service was not meant for mourning the loss, but for the celebration of the life he lived and the people he impacted.  Four people made decisions to accept Christ as their Lord and Savior.  AMEN.  The Lord brings ALL things together for the good of those who love and serve him.  We will miss Sloan's unique sense of humor, but we will remember and cherish the laughter we shared.  Our prayers continue to go out to his family and friends.

I know that some of these endings are harder to swallow than others.  However, the focus should not be on grieving for the doors that have been closed, but on glorious anticipation for the doors that are about to open.  

"Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end." 

-Seneca