Western Michigan University

 Last weekend you had the opportunity to tour the campus of Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo. You were delightfully surprised by the experience, and felt like it very well might become your first choice in a myriad of options. When I asked you what exactly you liked about the university, you mentioned the practical realities of having a large hospital in close proximity to the campus, as well as the the city and campus with a lot of opportunities to socialize. 

If you were accepted to WMU, then Jacob would join you in Kalamazoo at the community college near bye. All of this is less than an hour away from us in Grand Rapids... and all of this is why I began to hold out hope that you would get accepted here. 

On Saturday we had the opportunity to take a road trip up to Caberfae Peaks to enjoy a Saturday full of snowboarding. Just the two of us. (You had asked if Adelle could possibly join us, and in a rare denial I declined to accommodate. This time I wanted you all to myself. I realized that you'll be 18 in two months, and I'm literally anticipating you're suddenly going to evaporate). As we drove, you further shared with me the details of your trip to Kalamazoo, and why you're trying not to get emotionally attached because every one of the applicants are stellar students with resumes a mile long. But I know you, and there's nobody like my girl!

And then a few days ago, I flew to whirlwind weekend trip to Las Vegas to visit my college roommates. As the plane touched down in the desert, I switched my toggle from Airplane Mode and suddenly a handful of texts came through. 

"Guess who got into Western!!" on the family text thread...

This was followed by glitter and party hats and all things celebrative. 

I must have inherited my unabashed sentimentality from my mother. I don't know why every little conversation or turn of events makes me tear up with gratitude. As you already know, I read that text and brushed the tears from my eyes... this is the next quarter of your life. The page is about to turn, and I don't want to let go. 

I am really struggling with this. I'm leaning into the discomfort of surrender, knowing that it's my job as a parent to raise you up in such a way that you are fearless in the wake of uncertainty. I can gauge my success as a father by one thing: The spiritual fruit that you exhibit as evidence of your relationship with Jesus. Everything else is secondary and pales in comparison. And for this reason, I can exhale with a deep gratitude that my daughter(s) are announcing and demonstrating the coming of the Kingdom of God to the next generation. 

And so it's official: You are Western Michigan University Brono, accepted into a direct admission into the School of Nursing. You're going to study anesthesiology, and follow your heart into a glorious future. 

And I'm the guy on the sidelines, cheering for you my little diesel engine...

Home Away From Home [Sayulita]

 There is something about the culture in Sayulita, Mexico... the quiet mornings, the sound of waves rolling in and crashing violently on the shore in front of an empty beach. It's all so peaceful! Afternoons on the beach, Jack Johnson playing on your BluTooth speaker, and laying in the sun... trading waves on the rented surfboard, and walking into the surf shops with sand on bare feet. Then we return to Casa Blanca Hotel and shower, get dressed up cute, and pile into a golf cart to ride into town. "DePoy's are here! Crash." The evenings in Sayulita are crazy! Live music and interruptions, sensory overload! The smell of pollo on an open grill, sizzling carne asada, and various concoctions of fruity drinks! When all is said and done, we ride around aimlessly in the golf cart, taking the back roads and getting lost. It is only the smell of "Hot Churros"that can lead us back to the north side, followed by gelato of course. 

It all feels like home. Or at least, a home away from home. It's a familiar place, and a rhythm we know. A chorus we can sing. A past, present, and future memory.

Every day we wake up to check the surf report. In the distance we can see a myriad of swimmers near the shore, and surfers taking turns around the reef.  "What's on the itinerary today?" The answer is always, sunshine and surf and good food. 

This time we were joined by Skot and Carie Lokers, as well as Dwight and Betsy Beal. They added so much charm to the vacation, and it was so fun to introduce them to our happy place! We walked through the jungle (got lost), overrun by massive palm trees and unripened coconuts and dirt trails that fork and split and shhhhh, listen - hear the sound of the waves just west of us! We must be getting close!

On our final day, we took an uber transport to the small fishing village of El Anclote (Punta De Mita). We spent a few minutes bartering with local fishermen to take us out on their boat to see the migrating whales. We had an amazing experience two years ago, and now we have returned with friends. 

Once we got out to the Marietta Islands area, our boat guide nestled the boat into quiet waters. We waited for a stirring, then suddenly: volcanic eruption from the Pacific Ocean! A giant humpback whale leaped from the depths of the salt water, and did a full rotation breach in the air before splashing down right near our boat! This sent all of us eyewitnesses into a collective gasp, as we were literally sprayed with the splashing water around us! 

For the next four hours, we were held captive to the majesty of creation. At one point Dwight led us in the acappella version of "How Great Thou Art!", and then we all went snorkeling for a while...

These days, I am soaking in every minute with my girls. Because I realize that in the next few months, everything is going to change. The next time we return to Sayulita, you will probably be with Jacob and hopefully this will be a place to which we can return for many more years to come. I want to introduce your children and their children to our home away from home. I want to watch the look on your face, as you watch the look on the faces of your children... experiencing the wonder of it all. 

Life is good.

And these are "the good old days."

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