5.2.26

Life Update: Mason

My boy is a junior.

In college, ya’ll.

It seems like just yesterday we were sitting at Parent Orientation, and the Dean of the engineering school told us that, statistically speaking, only 50% of the incoming freshmen would begin their sophomore year still as an engineering major.  Some would change their major.  But most would never return.  It would be an aggressive program that saw only half moving on after freshman year.  I knew based on our school experience what side of that 50% we would likely be on.  Unfortunately, I even anticipated such.  But not Mason.

There were definitely some setbacks.  There were classes he had to retake every quarter of his freshman year.  But it’s been more than a year since we’ve seen those days.  And after he took a couple of classes last summer, he was “caught up” and began fall quarter as a junior.  I could not be more proud of him.  Nor could I be more grateful for miracle upon miracle of God’s grace.  I don’t know why I ever doubted.  

There’s something about watching your son grow up and do adult things.  You know, like go grocery shopping, cook his own meals and clean his apartment.  Well, he says he cleans the apartment; however, the last time we were in Ruston, we were not invited to his apartment, and that’s probably because it needed a good cleaning!  And then there are other times when I’m reminded that he’s still a 20-year old man child.  You know, like when he’s riding an electric bike (that is not his, by the way!) through the ice-covered parking lot at his apartment after an ice storm wearing no shirt and a cowboy hat.

One of my favorite things is when he comes home (obviously!) and sits in the kitchen while I’m cooking supper.  He wants to know what I’m making and how I’m doing it.  I would like to think that’s because he goes back to his apartment and does the same.  Probably not, but it seems like he’s mastered the air fryer.  I also think he might brown some ground beef on the stove top every once in a while.  He’s also very cognizant of the cost of groceries.  When he first moved into the apartment his sophomore year and started grocery shopping, he called me one day and asked if he could get food stamps.  I explained to him that he does not qualify for SNAP benefits, to which he responded, “But I’m a poor, unemployed college student.  I don’t see why that doesn’t count.”  Well, son, that’s not how it works, especially as long as your parents are claiming you.  He was actually very serious in his question, and I have to give him props for being genuinely concerned about the cost of groceries.  This was also back when he had worked during the summer and was using his own, hard-earned money for groceries.  He’s still splurging on his body wash and deodorant products though. 

We attended Tech’s graduation last fall.  We’ve never been to one.  As I was sitting there, I kept thinking . . . one day I will watch Mason walk across that stage to receive his degree in electrical engineering.  One day I WILL.  Will he graduate next spring?  I don’t know.  We’re anticipating that he’ll be a fifth-year senior and graduate in 2028.  It matters not to me when.  Because I know he will.