New Mercies Each Day: A Proud, Proud Day!!

Yesterday my baby graduated from college. What a joyous day for her, let me tell you. when Megan was in the third grade I picked her and her sister up from school. She got in the car and as always I asked them, "How was school today, girls. Did you learn anything new?" Megan just sighed...really deep and said, "Mama, how old do I have to be to quit school?" Coming from her this question was not a surprise. She has never liked school...not one bit. She didn't cry or pitch fits about it, she just flat out did not like school. I though about her question before I answered for a minute. With Megan you had to really phrase your answer just right. She was a master at picking apart your responses. I looked in the rear view mirror and told her, "Baby if you are still in high school at 21 years old your daddy and I will let you quit." Her face kind of fell a little but she was satisfied. To a 9 year old 21 seems pretty far away. Needless to say she did graduate high school and now she has completed four years of college life. This past semester has been murder for her too. She had 21 hours of classes and a schedule that was a nightmare. She spent many evenings crying over the phone to me about this and that and at the end of every conversation she would tell me that she was quitting school. I still phrase my answers to her carefully. I knew deep down she would finish, I just reminded her that she would make it and she would live through it and in ten years it wouldn't even have any bad memories to haunt her. She is a very dramatic child but that is one of the many qualities about her that I just love. She keeps my life full of energy and events. She is such a funny, fun-loving young woman. She says she is home to stay forever. I am thrilled to have her home but...forever is a long time. I am thinking that a certain young man kind of has his eye on her for some other plans in the not so distant future.

Her graduation was one of the sweetest things I have ever been to. NC State University is the largest university in North Carolina. It has 38,000 students. The campus is like a city within a city. Huge! I was really dreading the crowd, the traffic, let alone finding a seat in the stadium. But, praise the Lord, Megan graduated with the agriculture department and it was a small group of concentrated degrees. Only 40 graduates with three separate areas. Megan's group was only five students receiving degrees. Each student got to speak for about a minute and it was just such a nice surprise. Most just thanked their families and the families got to stand up and be recognized. Almost every student thanked God and many of them actually said that they would like to thank their Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. This was just wonderful to witness. The professors all said that the strong faith of these students was just outstanding. Just when you think this world is sinking lower and lower you get a nice reprieve. I was really just so proud of Megan. She was the first and only winner of a special horticulture award that was a real surprise to her and to me too! I am glad she is finished with school and I know she is thrilled beyond measure to be out of school and back home.

Megan and her boyfriend, Thad, before she walked.