Moving my daughter into her dorm
"All of the other parents have left, Mom," my daughter said matter of factly as I walked into her dorm suite with an armload load of groceries having slogged up seven flights of stairs.
Guess she thought I couldn't take a hint. Geez!
That simple statement hit me in the gut. It was time to go.
I had been preparing for this day for eighteen years. The day I would be dropping my baby girl off at college never to live at home with me again (vacations and breaks don't count).
I was actually secretly looking forward to having one less child in the house to worry about. Kind of the out of sight, out of mind deal.
Yes, I knew I'd worry about her at college but I wouldn't be waiting up for her to come home each night.
I have raised her to be very independent and frankly, between her job, school, and social life, I didn't see much of my daughter her last year at home anyway. I might not even realize she was gone!
No sadness for me, I thought in the weeks leading up to Drop-Off Day. Save the tears for "those other moms." Poor things.
I'd probably even be doing the happy dance having successfully launched one "adult" into the world.
Boy, was I in for a surprise when it was time to leave the dorm to begin the five hour drive home, less one child.
"Hold it together, sister," I told myself as I hugged my daughter good-bye.
Although no tears were actually shed in the dorm (my daughter didn't give me a chance to shed any waterworks as she hussled us out of the door), they were close by and I was unusually quiet and melancholy on the drive home. Out of sorts I'd guess you'd say.
Life will never be the same for my daughter nor me again.
I tried to recall what my life was like before kids.
It was so long ago and so much has happened since then that I honestly cannot remember. I guess we'll both be taking our newfound "freedom" one day at a time.
I'm feeling a little better now but I still think about her constantly, wondering what she is doing and if she's having fun.
I suppose this emptiness in my heart will lessen with time. At least I hope so.
Kristen "Not Doing the Happy Dance" Marks
P.S. Forget the Toll House cookies. I sent my daughter to school with two important items that most parents neglect when sending their kid to college which helps me sleep better at night. Find out what they were in an upcoming blog post. (Hint: it's not what you think)
