Hope in preparing for your future

"Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself."

~John Dewey

This summer has been quite different from all the summers we've had before. Different because I see my eldest daughter portray a certain countenance that you don't normally see in teens today. Not only has she been buried with summer homework that consists of endless reading which includes four chapters of AP History, and reading three books for AP English. She's also had her share of being gone for weeks at a time attending various church activities, and having much needed vacation time with us as a family. In a sense I feel that her absence and time being spent in her room doing homework is preparing me for her future. The future that indicates not seeing her for months at a time as opposed to weeks. The future I am referring to is...

college. 

She has been dreaming of going to college since she was in the third grade. She also wanted to find a job as soon as school was over, but with vacation time, church activities, and tons of summer homework...it was impossible for her to work. I appreciated her efforts in wanting to become someones employee, but as a parent I didn't want her to get overwhelmed. She decided that she shouldn't work and that her school and church activities came first.  I was impressed with her decision and supported her through it. It would be nice if she did have a job making her own money and saving some for college, but it wasn't feasible with her hectic schedule. All of these decisions she is making and all that she is doing is indeed preparing her for college.

She began attending Girls camp every summer since she turned 12. I remember being sleep deprived all week worrying and hoping that she was having a great experience when she went for the first time. I missed her and cried off and on all week long. Although I had two younger daughters at home to keep me company our family didn't feel complete. It was hard. I found that after four years of having her attend girls camp it's become a lot easier for me, and her testimony continues to build. I am grateful for all that she continues to learn in school, and for all the church activities that keep her busy and strong in growing within the gospel.

Our Stake Presidency visited our church yesterday and while all the testimonies that were said were very uplifting and true...President Sikahema's stood out to me the most. He was the last to bear his testimony and mentioned a little bit about his college days and how it took him 22 years to finish his education. I was impressed with his diligence, and endurance in finishing his education and playing football for BYU including the NFL for so many years!

My husband and I don't have a lot of money saved for Sierra's college. She'll be graduating in two years and we really haven't build a nest egg for her. It was hard for us to save any money when you are moving from state to state. We've decided to not splurge as much on vacation trips next summer, and to seriously start saving some money from our tax returns each year. Luckily our kids are all five years apart which gives us five years to save for Alexandra's college, and the next kid, and the next (we have four.)

President Sikahema's testimony really inspired me and gave me hope that our daughter will have a higher education and get into a great college. Whether it's BYU or any other university she is determined to get in. She is bright, ambitious, goal-oriented, and has faith and determination in applying for every single scholarship out there, and pray that they will choose her. I've said this to all of my children many times, "if you do what's right and strive to do your very best in living a good christian life, and do excellent in school...the Lord will bless you."

I know Sierra believes that.

 I am also preparing for the four years (or more) she'll be attending college away from me. I know there will be tears, but at least I'm preparing for them now... instead of later.