First day of School

There is something universal about laying out the first day of school outfits the night before! It should be noted however that Maria changed her mind the next morning!
Oh, the first day of school. I had as many butterflies as the girls after having quite a bit of angst over whether to send Kate or homeschool her. We settled on sending her back to her dual language school and I mostly have peace.
The girls were eager and excited after meeting their teachers last week. Mike started work late to come along too, of course worried that both girls might be clingy and need us both there. Nope. Neither were clingy and neither appeared to need either of us!
The first day of school has taken on a completely different dimension for me over the last couple years. In 2007 on the first day of school (before I was out of bed to get ready to take Kate to her first day of kinder) I got a phone call from a friend telling me that our mutual friend was at the hospital apparently about to lose her battle with colon cancer. I rushed to the hospital only to hear from her mom in the parking lot that she had died in the night.
Renie was vibrant, full of life in Jesus, passionate about her husband and 5 kids, funny, organized, steady, talkative, and beautiful. She taught me more about living an authentic life in the Lord than anyone and continues to be my best mentor in motherhood.
Fortunately her husband had agreed to let me bring dinner to their home on Wednesday (the first day of school) and stay for a chat. I brought Mo and Renie's two younger girls (13 and 16) doted over him terribly! They oohed and aahhed and asked lots of questions. Just like I used to do when they were babies! It was beautiful and oh so therapeutic to my still grieving soul. Renie trained, nurtured and loved her children better in the years she had than most mom's do in a lifetime. Renie still shines as a light for Jesus through our memories, through her children, through her husband, and through the countless lives (like mine) she mentored into becoming sold out for Jesus.
As I drove home with tears in my eyes I realized how good God is to have given me this time with this all public schooled family (both Renie and her husband worked in the schools) as a reminder of all the opportunities my children have to be salt and light.