Family World

“Do you think home will feel different to Logan? Do you think things will seem odd? ” I asked Lonny. Our oldest son was due home from college. My parents had driven to Wheaton to pick him up. He’d been away for weeks.

“Oh, it’ll feel strange at first. But he’ll be glad to be home.” Lonny smiled and pushed Isaiah on the swing. 

I sat on a crunch of autumn leaves and wondered. Many prayers had been lifted on Logan’s behalf. And praise God – he was adjusting very, very well. His world had grown.

A moment later, my parents’ blue minivan pulled into the drive. The side door flew open and our firstborn appeared. He stood tall and dropped his backpack to the pavement. Isaiah slid from the swing and pumped his legs hard, running to greet his brother. Gabriel popped from the sandbox and followed. Grant and Samuel emerged from the house.

Lonny and I joined the scramble. We all came together in a circle of affection.

“Logan, I missed you,” Isaiah said. He lifted his arms.

“Me, too! How was college?” asked Gabe.

Logan bent so both boys could jump into his arms. He spoke into their little ears and they twisted their arms around his neck.

Then we all moved, in one big herd, to the patio. My parents. Five boys. Lonny and me. Conversation was lively. Sweet stories spilled. There was plenty of laughter. Hugs galore. And nothing seemed to faze Logan. Not that the three little boys sprayed their hair into stiff mohawks. Or that it was October and Gabe still wore frayed Levis without a shirt. Or that a brown cardboard box dangled from a rope on the back deck because the brothers wanted to trap a cat.

It was all normal. It was all good.

I didn’t bother with the questions. Logan would’ve answered, but I didn’t ask. If things seemed different it didn’t matter anyway.

Our son had come home. We’d missed him a lot. And in God’s grace, according to God’s plan, Logan’s world had grown.

But he still fit into ours.