Back to School - Teen Edition

As school starts back in Middle Tennessee, I find myself facing a few new beginnings. This year, we have a high school Senior and Junior. The back-to-school routine looks a little different at this stage — the supply list is shorter, clothes are ordered online, and meet-the-teacher night feels familiar rather than nerve-wracking. We've done this long enough to know what to expect, and there's something quietly satisfying about that.

My husband and I are enjoying the chance to watch our oldest navigate some of the biggest decisions of her life so far. The question we hear most often — from family, friends, and just about everyone else — is some version of "What are you doing after high school?" She honestly doesn't know yet, and I think that's okay. She's exploring a long list of universities and getting ready to apply, which is its own kind of exciting.

It's a strange thing to sit with — the knowledge that we're just a few months away from a decision that will significantly shape the next chapter for all of us. We can't quite picture what next year will look like, and I'm learning to hold that uncertainty with a little more grace than comes naturally to me. There's real joy in the anticipation, even alongside the anxiety.

In the end, what we want most is to be present for this year. This moment. The future has a way of unfolding exactly when it's ready — and not a moment sooner.