Sunday, September 1, 2013

My oldest has left for college!

Can you believe it's September 1st?! Aside from the jet lag after our trip to Asia that sort of put us in a sleepy slow motion for a week or so there, the rest of August was a complete blur! From Japan to home, an evening in NYC with some book club friends, a couple of beach days, some bike rides, our 20th wedding anniversary, a weekend getaway for two to Boston, and getting Maria ready for college, it was one awesome month! Well.. the part about Maria going away to college is awesome for her..... not so much for mom and dad. I mean it is.. but you know. Our baby has flown out of the nest.

We helped Maria move into her college dorm yesterday. What a milestone! I'm so proud of her for so many reasons and excited for her as she stands at the cusp of this new life experience that will further shape her into the person she is meant to be. Then there's this other part of me that's crying NOOOoooooo! DON'T GO! Mostly I keep that one to myself, knowing that the time is right for her to go out on her own (more or less) and discover herself and the world around her. I just can't figure out how we got to this chapter in our story so darn fast and I'm trying to not to think that my job is more or less done. I know she'll still need us for quite some time .. both financially and for guidance and emotional support.. but it's kind of different now, you know?

Anyway, here's a fun video I made using the iphone app Flipagram that pretty much shows what August looked like through my eyes, squeezed into one minute and two seconds. Don't blink!



Hope you liked it. : )

How was your August? Any changes in your life this September? 

17 comments:

  1. Love the video. Maybe September will give you a little time to catch up on some reading. I hope Maria has a wonderful freshman experience. I still remember how much I loved that time in my own life.

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  2. Best of luck to your daughter! I can imagine your mixed feelings ~ I have a few more years before I have to worry about that, but I know how fast those years will fly!

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  3. Awwww, I can't even begin to imagine how that would feel, but it must be super hard. Still, the kids come back. Can't get rid of them even when they're 30. ;)

    Your August looked awesome! :) Thanks for sharing, it's like I'm living through all those wonderful pictures. Now if only I can eat the food. *drools*

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  4. Great video! Best of luck to your oldest and hope you all adjust easily--I know it must be a very exciting time for her, but hard on the parents.

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  5. I know how you feel! We dropped our son off at Jacksonville and waved goodbye when he went in the Army. It's bittersweet! Now two years later he is married and about to be a daddy. Time flies...ok, off to check out your video.

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  6. You know that kind of envy that translates into, "you are one lucky gal, you have an awesome life! I wish I were you"?

    Yeah, that ;-)

    Also: enjoy the semi-empty nest, though it's likely you'll still be doing quite a bit of laundry for Maria (yeah, experience talking)

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  7. It's scary being a parent and having to stand back and watch them grow up at some point. Hope your September slows down a bit for you.

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  8. Time flies, my kids have been back at school for 2 wks now. Ahhhhh, the empty nest. Well I have 2 down 4 to go ;) I still have quite a few yrs before we're completely alone. I told hubby by the time we're empty nesters we'll be in diapers!

    It's a wonderful bittersweet thing to watch our children grow into adults, so happy yet our hearts are tinged with that bit of sadness.

    Summer went to fast for me, going back to school made me angrier than my kids!

    Paula

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  9. August just went by so fast!! I totally agree.
    And YAY for millestones!!
    Here in my country we don't go away to college, we pretty much stick to our own cities since only a handful of schools nation-wide have dorm rooms. We just keep on living with our parents :D

    Anyway, loved your video! it was lovely.

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  10. Thank you, thank you, thank you for the lovely comments. Glad you liked the video. I made another one today that I may post some other time. Anyway, this having you child in college things is harder than I thought! I knew I was going to miss her.. but I didn't think I'd be so sad about it. Sigh.

    Phyl, that's what I keep reminding myself.. how awesome this time is for Maria. I loved college too.

    Catherine, thank you so much. Your boys looked ready for school in the pic you posted on instagram. And such a handsome bunch. Have fun fending off the girls!

    little_alys, ha ha! I hope she comes back. lol I think if nothing else, she'll miss my cooking. And laundry services. :D Glad you enjoyed my August photos so much. It means a lot to me!

    Too Fond, thank you! Did I mention my husband works for the same university? It's a HUGE campus, but it's comforting for everyone, I think, that she's not SO far away. I mean, she can come home for a day or two without too much hardship if she's really sick or something. Gosh, now I sound like such a baby about missing her so much when she's barely an hour away...

    Tina, Wow! Congrats to you on your son's awesome accomplishments. Fatherhood is going to be his best gig yet!

    azteclady, you're right. I am a very lucky girl. VERY. And I try my hardest not to take it for granted. My husband is an only child whose parents worked hard, saved like crazy and were extremely spend-thrifty (spent money as if they had none when really they were squirreling away and investing every penny) until the day they died. All to our benefit. I wish they had "lived" a little and spent more money on themselves over the years, making their retirement easier and more luxurious for themselves, but that wasn't their way. And it is the reason we have been able to travel the last couple of years.

    Oh I hope you're right and she comes home as soon as she needs her laundry done. Never thought I'd say that .. but there it is. lol!

    Brandy, it is really hard, isn't it? I thought I was ready for this.. I don't think I thought about my feelings.. just what it would be like physically without her here every night, you know? Like her empty chair at the table, less laundry, less food to make a dinner, having to do her chores myself or get Anna to do them (ha ha very funny).. but not what it all MEANS. Thanks for your support.

    luv46kdz, 2 down 4 to go.. you're funny! Oh my gosh don't joke about you guys being in diapers by the time the last kid is out of the house. LOL! I am always feeling like you.. angrier than the kids that summer is over and they go back to school! Anna doesn't start until Monday, Sept. 9 so we might try to zip to the beach for a day one day this week. :)

    Alex, someone on instagram from Australia said the same thing to me.. that kids don't live at college. I think in Europe more do, but not really the rest of the world, I guess. Interesting how different things are. Glad you liked my video!!! Yay!

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  11. Good luck to your daughter!!

    Lovely video, by the way ;)

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  12. Love the video! I've seen all the pictures and it's awesome to see all of them together :)

    Woohoo for Maria! Hope she enjoys herself LOL. I'm pretty sure some small part of her screamed "Noooo, I don't want to go!" LOL. Good news for you is that she is not very far away :)

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  13. Such a huge milestone! But she's not too far so that's good. She'll probably surprise you and come home more often than you expect. :)

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  14. nath, thanks! So glad you liked that quick video. They're so fun to make!
    I think it's comforting for all of us--Maria included--that she's not so far away. I think she loves it so far, but is also adjusting to everything and the beginning of something where EVERYTHING is new can be a bit stressful and overwhelming. But she's doing well. She went to some event for freshman where they told them to stop calling home and to just deal with stuff on their own so she sadly said, "Maybe I shouldn't call or text so much." I told her that was hogwash! She's not calling home because she's whining or homesick! She's calling for guidance and or to say a cheerful hello and there's nothing wrong with that! We're still her family for crying out loud. I told her to do whatever SHE wants. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. sheesh.

    Leslie, it IS a huge milestone. I'm having trouble with this one.. I have to admit I might cry a tiny bit every day. Just a wee bit for 30 seconds or something and then I'm okay. How did you do last year?! I'm hoping Maria comes home next weekend even if it's just for 24 hours to do laundry and eat a meal with us. Maybe catch up on a show or two on the dvr. I would be happy as a clam snuggling her on the sofa for an hour or two. ;)

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  15. I'm so late visiting blogs, I just realized a fb friend posted 'taking a blog break effective Aug 10'...

    I hope Maria is having an amazing experience, adjusting to college life. And today I say you now have a high schooler! They grow fast :)

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  16. Great video! I love that you squeezed it all into that short vid but yet I got a wonderful feel for your summer. :)

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