Thursday, September 8, 2011

Unavoidable Change

This post is brought to you as part of Jenny Matlock's Alphabe-Thursday.  Click the button on the right to join the fun.

My life has been a massive whirlwind of change over the last several weeks.  I’ve felt like Dorothy’s house in the Wizard of Oz and many projects have blown out of the house…including this blog.  The dust is settling and though I don’t see life in Technicolor quite yet, the sepia tones are brightening with the promise of full color.  Let me catch you up on the last 8 weeks.

Princess turned 18 on August 11th.  My baby is a grown-up!
 

Son turned 27 on August 15th.  I don’t feel old enough to have a son pushing 30.  Looking in the mirror tells a different story, but I don’t feel it.
 

Hubby has been able to visit Son, Daughter-in-Law, and baby Rya in Arizona,
 

but I had to stay home. 


All spare time between my last post and August 18th has been spent organizing, buying, packing, and hauling Princess off to college.  We had her ‘land yacht’ (a 1993 Mercury Grand Marquis called Beast) and our crew cab truck filled to the brim with stuff. 


I was really dreading the unloading to the second floor of the dorm.  But, much to the delight of Princess (and Hubby’s back), the football team was assigned to carry stuff from cars to rooms.  I think they were also checking out the new crop of pretty girls. 

Three loads to the room and three Wally World trips later, Princess and a whole lot of stuff were in a small dorm room with a roommate and a whole lot of her stuff.  My baby is in college!
 

I am very thankful that Harding University takes great pity on parents of freshmen.  We were able to stay through Friday to help Princess with class registration and getting her books as well as attending “parent informational sessions”.  By Friday night’s devotional, Princess had collected a whole auditorium row of new friends.  She was extremely happy and excited.  I think that is what made it easier to leave on Saturday afternoon.  Neither Hubby nor I were blubbering while driving home…which was a surprise to both of us.

It was very, very quiet when we returned to the house.  I’ll write more about that next time.

15 comments:

  1. Hello.
    I'm visiting from Miss Jenny's Alphabe-Thursday.

    We nurture our kids from conception to that age when they have to leave home. Everyone has a journey to travel in life. Enjoy your empty house while you can. Your daughter will be back with her laundry before you know it (smile).

    Nice photos. Thanks for sharing.

    Under Blinking Stars

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  2. I felt similar after dropping the kids off on the first day of school. Of course mine are still little, so its nothing like college. Still, an empty, quiet house is a strange place to be for a mom.

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  3. I worry about that quiet house feeling all the time and my kids are just starting middle school and high school this year. Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting on the desk I made over for my daughter. I am your latest follower. Not sure if you are following or not, but if you're not, I would love to have you as a follower. Looking forward to keeping up with your blog.

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  4. You don't look old enough to have grown children? I have a 36 year old daughter. We are exactly 18 years apart. When she was 18 and I was 36 she called me old and decrepid mother. Ha ha now she is 36 and I told my grandsons this story and now they call her old and decrepid mother! Hee hee hee! Isn't revenge sweet? LOL~Ames

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  5. how sweet! Glad that she's in college - I know she'll enjoy the experience. And hopefully learn a whole bunch! {:-Deb

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  6. She will have a wonderful time, making friends she'll keep for a lifetime.

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  7. Hi Lisa, sure know the work that goes into moving a chid to college, and the emotional stress! Two of my girls sent their sons off this year...It is a big step for the child/adult and the parents...Enjoy the peace and quiet, she'll be home for the holidays!
    ))smiles))

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  8. Mine are closing in on 28 and 31 (unbelievable -- they were just crawling yesterday...) It's always hard to send them out on their own, but they always return in some form or fashion! Sounds like your daughter will have a good college experience! Rya is adorable! Those eyes!

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  9. What a blessing, and yet scary, too! Good luck to your girl! :)
    Visiting from Alphabe-Thursday!

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  10. Good post! Dorm rooms seem to have changed a lot since I lived in them.

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  11. Aww, I can't imagine what it feels like to have a child go off to college since my daughter is only 2 but I remember how hard it was to send her to daycare when I went back to work. It must feel a thousand times as hard when they go off to college, right? Good luck to her as the school year starts!

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  12. My guys are only 11, but I know that has already flown by in the blink of an eye. I'm going to have to brace myself for these days, I suppose. Your grandbaby is a adorable. I'm sorry you couldn't make the trip.
    Good luck to your daughter - I hope she has a wonderful first semester!
    -Catherine

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  13. Ah, I wish I had that opportunity. My parents made me stay home for college. I still live here. I have my degree. I hate it here. You're letting her be independent, and that's great. I applaud you. It may be hard, but you'll be glad you did.

    ~Ashley~

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  14. Oh girl. I'm so sorry. I can only imagine how sad you must feel!

    What a lovely girl she is...and it looks like she's all set to start a successful college career! Why oh why, can't we go along with them as they grow up?

    Sending you a big hug along with your A+

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  15. Is princess sleeping on a stack of mattresses? Her bed looks really high lol

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