No news is good news?

No news is good news I've heard that line a thousand times - but I still can't decide if it's a truism or a lie. This week I am having a lot of opportunties to test it.
1. Earthquake in Peru - where oldest step-daughter, her husband, and 2 and 8/9's grandchildren live. No news for nearly 24 hours after the quake. Definitely did not feel like good news. Did get an email late the day after (phones were still down.) and everyone was ok.
2. Reviewers at work for a BIG audit / contract compliance review all week. I wasn't even asked any questions by them today. Maybe that's good - everything was clear and correct (I hope) or everything was so obviously out-of-compliance that they didn't even feel the need to get more information. The jury is still out on this one. I'll find out on Friday whether "no news" during the review was good or bad.
3. Logan at Harding for a week. No calls from him. Is that good news (he's having a great time and hopefully going to classes) or bad news (he hates harding, his roommate, his classes, and his parents for sending him there and is no longer speaking to us). I have actually spoken to him twice (for maybe 5 minutes total in the last week and only after leaving messages like call home because I am getting emails about your parking permit being returned as undeliverable). The first thing out of his mouth both times was "What do you want?" He is alive, and busy - so I guess in this case no news was good news.

That makes the tally even at one for truism, one for lie, and one for undecided.

growing pains

It's interesting to me - in a personal (not a cool, clinical) way -that growing hurts. Kids have growing pains as their bones grow and the rest of them tries to catch up - not imaginary pains but real, physical pain.
All through life we experience pain or at least discomfort with each growth process. Birth - you gotta go through pain to get out of mom and into the big world (and medical studies show that babies whose mothers experience labor (versus planned c-sections where the mother doesn't go through labor) do better. Whether you are learning a new skill (like riding a bike, Michelle?), starting a new relationship, or moving out on your own - pain is a part of the process.
The past week has been a growing one for me (and for my daughter - but you have to read her blog for that story). Michelle moved out of the country for a while and Logan left for college.

While I have been looking forward to Ron and I being a couple again - this week has been hard - make that painful. I miss them. I worry about them. I hurt to see them dealing with their own fears, anxieties, and challenges. But this week has also been a great week spiritually for me. I had gotten pretty lax in prayer life and my time in God's word. This week has brought a renewal there - and a reminder to me of the peace and comfort God has for me.
So while I have been experiencing pain - it truly is a growing pain. And while I want to protect my children from pain - I don't want them to lose out on what they can gain because of a fear of the pain -whether its the pain of seperation, or of failing at something, or just the fear of the unknown. Because while the pain is real - it doesn't last forever...and the end results can be surprizingly good.

Flown the coop

Well, once again Michelle has left the country. You would think by now I would be getting used to these departures and goodbyes. Even though I am excited for her and Ron and I have been looking forward to our empty nest - it's hard to say goodbye knowing it will be several months before we see each other again. The worst part isn't not seeing her - it's not being able to talk to her whenever. She is more than my daughter - she is my friend- and I will miss the talks.
At least this trip is motivating me to get a passport so I can go visit her. (And at least this time she is in a country I would ACTUALLY visit!)

Anyway, one down - one to go. Logan leaves next Wednesday for Harding!