Let It Be

     No matter how hard I tried to drag my feet to slow down that carousel of time (courtesy of Joni Mitchell), the day arrived.  The youngest started college. I put on a Brave Face but don't think I fooled anyone.  The day was a blur of schedules and lines and check-ins and unloading and unpacking.  I tried to savor the moments with him but with the rush and people and new friends, we didn't have 60 seconds alone together.  Three years earlier, I had the same experience with his sister and I had to chuckle to myself at how similar those two are.  They were about to jump out of their skin with excitement, but refrained a little to make me feel better.  I remember that feeling oh so well.  Freedom, independence, making my own rules {sigh}.

     It was bittersweet but I did better than I thought, I guess because I feel I've raised two really happy kids.  They both have joy in their lives and who could ask for more?

My heartbeats

 

Moving In

     Yes, this is a hotel room.  My son drew the short straw and ended up in the overflow housing at school which is actually a Howard Johnson's hotel.  I was really bummed and worried that he would be isolated and the year would be much more difficult being a mile away from campus.  That is until I found out that 600 students occupy 8 floors - two people to a room with queen size beds, private baths, twice weekly maid service, free cable and HBO and a shuttle that runs all day back and forth to campus just a short few blocks away - walking distance really.  Poor, poor son - can you see how upset he is in the picture???

     In one hour, he had it decorated like this . . .

  
     The friends started to arrive and before we knew it, it was time to say goodbye . . .

I had been quietly sobbing in the bathroom five minutes earlier!

     The most painful part of the day was witnessing this:

     And so it is done . . . He is Happy, everything is just as it should be . . . Let It Be.