I sit here tonight with just my boys and realize just how much things have changed this year. We won't be doing any partying to bring in the new year. In fact, I'll probably be in bed well before midnight. Troy has already left for work. It's been both a wild year and probably one of the best years yet.
Zack finished up his first year of college, summer semester and started his second year. It's hard to believe in a few short months he will graduate. He's planning on continuing his education closer to home in the fall of 2014. He's currently home waiting for his last internship to start next week. He turned 20 in October. It's hard to believe he's no longer a teenager. He's been looking to buy a house with property, but nothing too serious. He has the possibility of being offered a job away from home. It's still a couple years in the future, but there is still the possibility.
Caitlyn turned 19 this month. In April, at 18, she bought her first house. She had made all the plans and research without us knowing what she was doing and signed the papers without us seeing the house. It's been a roller coaster ride with her situation. The house is a huge fixer upper and was in need of huge repairs and is still in need of huge repairs now, 8 months after she moved in. Of course, you have to have money for those repairs and being 18, there just isn't a lot of extra to go around for those repairs. I'm proud of her for taking on so much at a young age and still functioning as well as she does. There have been days that I question how she does it. There doesn't seem to be anything that will knock her down. I've heard a bit of chit chat from her about joining the National Guard. We'll see what the new year brings for her.
Kyle, of course, is still at home. He turned 13 in May and we now officially have no little ones. He started archery this past fall and has now joined a club and will soon be competing. He's still homeschooling and is technically in the 8th grade, however, he plans on getting ahead and getting all his credits to graduate early. He officially passed me in height this year and I now feel so short in our family.
Troy and I realized that we do have a life outside of kids, home and work. We never realized just how easy it is to travel. Jumping on an airplane and flying across the United States isn't quite a scary as I had imagined. We've buried our toes in the sand and water in Florida, left our foot prints in the soil in the mountains of Montana and took a road trip to Ohio for Troy's class reunion and to see his family for the first time in about 6 years. All within one year! I know people travel everyday, but, these 3 short trips opened our world up more that I could have ever dreamed. They made me realize that Troy and I will be just perfect when all the kids start lives of their own. I still shed millions of tears and worry and fret without good reason, but, all in all, life is good. We are blessed beyond what we deserve.
