I don't know if my heart is breaking or soaring...
Our beloved youngest, a sophomore in high school, is an extraordinary student (and a lovely, generous person, if I may say so). God wired her brain differently than anyone else I've ever known well. She actually doesn't study all that much.
She took the PSATs as a test run last fall, without one minutes' prep. And scored in the top 1/2 of 1% of all test-takers nationwide. The scores were published in early January, and our lives haven't been the same.
In the last six weeks, we've been contacted by more than 40 colleges and universities from around the country. Columbia, Brown, Caltech, Northwestern, U of Chicago, Duke, Tulane, Emory, Rice, Washington & Lee.
The "Little Ivies": Williams, Amherst, Swarthmore. The "Womens' Ivies": Smith, Bryn Mawr, Barnard, Wellesley. And public universities: Universities of Washington, Illinois, Florida, Delaware.
Stanford and UCLA invited her to attend classes this summer on their campuses. She was asked to participate in the national Junior Statesman program at Yale, Princeton and Georgetown.
We're proud. We're happy. And we're overwhelmed and unprepared, and confused at every turn. We had NO idea to expect such a rush; we thought that was reserved for athletes. And truthfully, it feels alien that all this fuss is about a very normal someone we live with everyday.
Our beloved youngest, a sophomore in high school, is an extraordinary student (and a lovely, generous person, if I may say so). God wired her brain differently than anyone else I've ever known well. She actually doesn't study all that much.
She took the PSATs as a test run last fall, without one minutes' prep. And scored in the top 1/2 of 1% of all test-takers nationwide. The scores were published in early January, and our lives haven't been the same.
In the last six weeks, we've been contacted by more than 40 colleges and universities from around the country. Columbia, Brown, Caltech, Northwestern, U of Chicago, Duke, Tulane, Emory, Rice, Washington & Lee.
The "Little Ivies": Williams, Amherst, Swarthmore. The "Womens' Ivies": Smith, Bryn Mawr, Barnard, Wellesley. And public universities: Universities of Washington, Illinois, Florida, Delaware.
Stanford and UCLA invited her to attend classes this summer on their campuses. She was asked to participate in the national Junior Statesman program at Yale, Princeton and Georgetown.
We're proud. We're happy. And we're overwhelmed and unprepared, and confused at every turn. We had NO idea to expect such a rush; we thought that was reserved for athletes. And truthfully, it feels alien that all this fuss is about a very normal someone we live with everyday.
I suppose I've always secretly hoped she'd attend my alma mater, UCLA (pictured above.) And she still might, I suppose. But the process seems to have a Life of its own.
I have no idea if my heart is breaking or soaring. Our daughter is growing... almost grown up, and will leave our cozy nest soon for a future unimaginably bright and promising. And possibly far from home.
This I do know: we are grateful to God for her, as well as the opportunities he is offering her to make a difference in His name.
And I need to trust His leading. Now.
I have no idea if my heart is breaking or soaring. Our daughter is growing... almost grown up, and will leave our cozy nest soon for a future unimaginably bright and promising. And possibly far from home.
This I do know: we are grateful to God for her, as well as the opportunities he is offering her to make a difference in His name.
And I need to trust His leading. Now.
