Number One

 We all knew this one was coming.....and we are now to the firstborn child of our family.  I don't usually know exactly what I will write until I start writing.  You guys all know how I feel about Claire.  I've shared some of my thoughts on her before.....Two years ago she left for the first time to live at college.  Man that was a hard day for me.  I have ached for other friends these past days who have sent their first child to college......know this friends:  It gets easier.  Year 2 was easier and more familiar.....until Covid hit and they all came home early.  

Claire is starting her third year at Dordt University.  She is one of the captains of the dance team and she is a social work major.  She has a work study for the Social Work department heads, and she teaches dance at the local dance studio.  She's also planning a wedding......

She and Jonah will get married January 2 of 2021 and then they will finish up their 4 year degrees together in a year and a half.  They have a good plan, and good friends and a bright future.  I'm so excited for them to venture forth together into their adulthood.  They are very good for each other.  They are best friends.

I always knew Claire was a good friend, but since the pandemic sent her home last spring, I got to experience her friendship for the first time as a young adult.  Claire became a good friend to me.  I can still be her mom but I can also talk to her as an adult and share with her some of my hardships and she can comfort me and share in my suffering now in a new way, as a young adult woman and no longer a child.    We have had some great conversations here over the past 5 months.....and some laughs and some tears.  Being isolated at home was much less lonely with Claire here.  In fact, everything is better when Claire is around.  She's just like that.

Today was a long day, as the last one home before the last of the kids go to school tomorrow.  We filled the day up with breakfast out at a restaraunt, 2 parks with neighbors, neighbors playing all morning, and play dates for Precious and Joe this afternoon.....and extra Kredit took a nap....and I did about 12 loads of laundry.  No, I am not exagerating.  Claire stopped home after we went to the open house at school as we were eating a late supper.  She peeked under the foil and said, oh that smells good.  I haven't eaten yet.  So she pulled up a chair and got a plate and ate with us and chit chatted about school stuff and roomate stuff (she is sharing an on-campus apartment with 5 other girls) and got some staples from the pantry to cook some dishes this week......and a tomato from the garden for a BLT.....and she hugged the littles and smiled and me and dad and drifted back out to her car to head back to campus....

That seems to be the rhythm of it when the kids grow up.....the drift back in and out here and there to grab something or ask a question or spend some time and then when they leave again we all settle back into life without them in the room.  And that's ok.  Claire is setting a good example for her siblings.  I hope they can follow in her footsteps because in this family she is doing it the way it works best.  

I love this young lady so much it makes my heart hurt sometimes.  I look at her and wonder how I got to be so lucky, to be picked to be her mom.....and I have given her in covenant promise to the Lord over and over again.  I continue to pray that He would guide her and use her and equip her to do Kingdom work I know that God  has her tightly in the grip of his mighty hand.  God has been using her and shining His light through her since the moment she was born and now with the training and learning and shepharding she is getting at the University the devil better just step back because no ground will be yielded where she walks.  Every step takes her closer to the Lord and His purposes for her.  She is a warrior and she is beautiful and she has power in Jesus name.  

I can say it with confidence.....Claire Barbara....you go girl.  \