her independence day

our community shoots off the fireworks on july 3rd.
i really like fireworks.

so this evening we heard the signal boom
and headed outside to watch them.
i'm lucky enough to have our youngest with me.
she's been here for about 6 weeks.
she and her cat.
they have been at the in-between stage of life
again.
she graduated from college in may
and got a job.
however didn't need to be at the job
immediately, so hung out at home.
 
tomorrow we head west with this
teacher-daughter-child-woman.

she's got a job in a big city about 15 hours away.
sigh.
really i am happy for her.
it's what she wants.
to teach second grade in a city.
she will do a really good job.
such a heart for kids she has.
and such energy she has.
:-)

as i watched the sparkling lights tonight,
i thought of why we shoot them off.
independence.
we wanted it.
we needed it.
and we got it.
it wasn't easy, but worth the struggles.

and i thought of my youngest child.
she's worked hard for her college degree.
it wasn't easy, but...
she wanted it.
she needed it.
and she got it.
and now...starting tomorrow
she begins the journey towards
her independence day.

gonna be on her own,
new place,
new people,
new adventures. 

and this is a good thing.