Sometimes we find out things after they’ve happened to our kids. . .and that’s ok.

Last year my daughter Hope was a freshman at ISU and had to evacuate her dorm for a gas leak. Besides happening in the middle of winter, being forced to study elsewhere, and getting fewer hours of sleep than planned, everything turned out fine. Problem solved and freezing cold college kids got back into their warm rooms safely. I didn’t hear a thing about it until the next morning, which was good. If I would’ve known at the time, I would’ve freaked out. And what good would that have done? Turns out it was not necessary. Now that night will forever be a crazy college memory.

This year Hope’s a Resident Hall Assistant in Watterson, which houses 3000 students. It’s a big building. Really big. The other night the fire alarm went off, which caused the sprinklers to spring into action. Many flooded rooms but somehow Hope’s was not. She was up all night helping countless soggy students and their drippy belongings. A true bonding experience. I woke up at my normal time to a text Hope sent at 4:30am saying all was well and she’d be sleeping in the next morning. Smart girl. And another crazy college memory for sure.

I wonder what will happen in the years to come. Time will only tell. I can’t control the ride, so I’ll just cling to Jesus and keep going.

I know as a parent sometimes it’s not good when we don’t find out things about our kids until later. Totally agree. But there are times it’s also ok. Those times when the situation is completely out of our control. And there is seriously nothing we can do. Nothing but pray. And the longer I’m a mom the more I realize that.

Praying is sometimes the only thing we can do. And it’s always the best thing to do . . . in every situation.