All moms dread the inevitable empty nest, where the little girl or boy that used to cuddle in your arms is now walking away from your car with their bags in tow. As I watched Kyle’s lanky frame cross the emerald lawns of UVA and disappear into the red bricked building, a wistful feeling overwhelmed me with both feelings of pride and panic. When I then added the vast Atlantic ocean and an 8 hour time zone change, it can make me really grieve.
Parenting from afar with short instant messages, looking at facebook updates and occasional facetime sessions can be bittersweet. Each word or conversation feels a little bit like a person who had been trudging through a desert for days, mouth so parched that there is a salty crustiness to their lips to only then be able to get one gulp of water.
I underestimated how much being so far away can make you long and miss your child and how helpless you feel as you hear about their day to day. I can truly say that the hope and truth that I kept reminding myself with is that God is sovereign, God is good, He hears our prayers, and He provides a community. The comfort of knowing that there are a group of moms who are praying for Kyle lightened my heart. I am ever thankful for this group as I read and pray along side you here in Kenya.
Sandy and Kyle Lee (2017)
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