The year we had her....

Hannah is a senior this year.  I always imagined her senior year with a guy involved, I guess, because she has always dated in high school. Her freshman and sophomore years, she dated Carson.  These were sweet years and I remember them so fondly.  His family became a part of ours and is to this day.  It was a great way for her  to start experiencing love.  Her junior year, she dated Dillon.  It was fun going to the state football playoffs with his team and having their birthday party together.  Lots of fun memories of the times spent with both of those fellows.  I didn't know what to expect from this senior year though.

She started the year without a boyfriend.  She immersed herself into all of the activities of the year.  She played volleyball, she played basketball for two weeks, she left basketball and concentrated on golf.  We made senior overalls, she auditioned for one act play and got the lead.  She directed another school play.  She chose a college, and then chose another one...and then another one. :-). She has been a busy girl.  She has lots of friends that are male, but no boyfriends.  I thought about this often and wondered how she was doing.  She seemed fine, so I didn't worry. 

As this year has gone month after month, and she has remained single,  I have come to a realization.  This year is a gift from God to her Daddy and me.  This is the last year we really will have with her.  She has experienced love in the past, and will again.  She had known infatuation, and will again.  She knows what it is to sit up late talking and laughing on the phone with the one you love...but this year we have had the absolute pleasure of her company.  She has gone with us places we might not have had her with us otherwise.  She has spent time with us we didn't have before.  She has been less distracted by her phone and by texts.  Nothing against the boys or those times...it is part of the experience. I am just so thankful for the time we have had these past 8 or 9 months.

Graduation will be here in a blink.  She will go off to college (if she can ever decide where!) and God will begin to show her what His ultimate plans are for her and who they involve. There is time for all of that. For now, though, I will cherish the year that we had her.