Off To College & NEMO

On Wednesday, we headed down to Birmingham, and on Thursday we moved our Tyler into his dorm-room at Samford University, and at the end of the day, said our good-byes and returned home. HARD! To say that it was a bittersweet day would be the biggest understatement. There was such a mixed bag of emotions...excitement for the journey ahead...ready for new challenges...Tyler's anxiousness to be on his own...our intense pride of the young man we'd raised..the sadness of knowing our home would never be the same...fear of the unknown...

Over the summer, Macy Li has fallen in love with the movie, "Finding Nemo" and I've found myself SO relating to it's themes as I've been preparing for (dreading) the "letting go" of Tyler. If you're familiar with the movie, you know it's theme is centered around a father's love for his son. It captures the fears that we parents have for our children's safety and how we would do anything to protect them.

Marlin, the overprotective clownfish, vows to protect his one and only son, Nemo, after his wife and all their (except the one-Nemo) eggs are attacked by a baracuda on the reef. The time comes for Nemo to head off for his first day of school, but his dad is really struggling with letting him go as he'd promised to protect him and never let anything happen to him. Although Nemo's plenty prepared and excited to be going to school, this joy is stiffled by his daddy's over-protectiveness. It's been a great reminder to me that letting go may be hard for the parent, but it's in the letting go that they're able to go and find their own way and become who God designed them to be.

Well, you know the story. Sure enough, Nemo rebels against his father's over-protectiveness, swims out to open sea and is captured and taken off to Sydney, where he's put in the aquarium in a dental office and learns many lessons from his friends there. The majority of the movie is focused around Marlin desperately searching for his lost son. As I listened to this movie over and over, it reminded me of how I would do anything to protect my children. Marlin's love for Nemo truly depicts this love, how no sacrifice would ever be too much for your child, and how a parent would go to any extreme to protect their most precious treasure.

While the two find themselves forced into situations beyond their control, Marlin and Nemo each grow up in many ways. Marlin discovers the freedom of fearless, adventurous living from his dingy and courageous friend, Dory. Meanwhile, Nemo's adventures build in him a spirit of confidence and competence. It's actually in their struggles, that they find life and the freedom "letting go" affords.

I truly believe the Lord gave me this movie again for "such a time as this" to gently remind me that the "safety of the anemone" is really an illusion. However, it's only when we venture out into the open seas, into the unknown, that we learn to live by faith...and it's there that we find the Father's gentle, leading Hand.

My last words to Tyler as we drove off that campus Thursday night was a line from the movie, where Marlin finally sets Nemo free and tells him, "I love you son, now go have an adventure!"

Move-in day highlights:

Dad doing the dad-thing

Moms' last trip out in the downpour!

Already studying?  Not!

Ironing out "wireless" issues...

The BEST roomie and suite-mates!

They're in...we did it!

Those snacks ought to last about 2 days!

Gettin' organized!

About to say our good-byes...

Home for the next year...

Here comes good-bye...

Proud dads and their boys...

Opportunity!

Truth!