Gone

Today, the boys left. We went to church together, came home to eat together, enjoyed a lazy Sunday afternoon, they even talked us all into playing Monopoly. But there was a heaviness for all of us. The echo of the word "last" in every little moment we enjoyed.

Their mom came around 4. We didn't know what to say to her, she didn't know what to say to us. She wants them to live with her again; they love their mom and should be with her. But it was hard to see them go. They cried to say good bye. I cried too. So little of their situation has changed, I'm afraid the circumstances that brought them to our door the first time will just be repeated. Hopefully this week they'll start attending a small Christian school which will be much better spiritually and academically than the public school they were attending. That at least is one comfort to me. But my heart aches for them, so small and vulnerable. I can't be there for them every day now, showering them with love, teaching, disciplining, laughing. . . But, I can keep praying. And I could never be the answer for them, all I could ever do was point them to the answer. And Jesus goes with them. They don't need me. They do need him.

So, I pray. Pray that the seeds that have been planted in their hearts take root and bear fruit. Pray that their mom follows through with the changes she has verbally committed too. Pray that they would continue to be loved and guided as they go through these years when they really need someone to be there for them.