Dropping the Boy at College

Last walk of summer with sunset over Sky Hill Park. 

Never too old for trains.

Dorm Life.

Sibling Rivalry.

Home away from home.

Rain from the sky, rain from my eyes.

Leaving the nest.

Coincidental symbolic situation.

Rosie finds a quiet (and clean) spot

How many cameras do normal people take to the fair?

Mary toward the front with the white scrunchie and blond ponytail.

Calvin collects fifty cent pieces and we got this one for change at the French fry stand--they are never really too far away. . .

It's more than true.

The great Minnesota get together.

Iconic.

From right to left we have Big Dog and Bungie Dog, Cowie and . . . just kidding. 

Books and animals. A new TV, a vintage apple computer. Treasures of the boy. 

Mary made Calvin a whole stack of letters from home.

My recurring dream is that I'm moving back into the dorms and I have to fit two grand pianos and thirty houseplants and antique dishes. . .

It's been an epic week. It actually feels like a month since Monday. I can't keep my head on straight. I don't know what day it is or when the next marching band rehearsal is. The printout of my calendar ended on Wednesday. I haven't looked at a list or my bullet journal. We have no groceries.

I'm letting myself mope a little. Don't worry, I won't stay here too long. I promised Bill on his way out the door that I would only listen to Dixie Chicks Godspeed five times this morning and then I would turn it off and go dig some hostas at a friends. https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=zOwxRpltEt4

Tristen's mom said she was dropping off her heartbeat at college yesterday too.

Before you go down too deep, we do have a Kotrba Family group chat and FaceTime and this morning Bill is putting Etudes, Preludes and Fugues and two piano cushions in the mail. I guess the U of I piano practice rooms don't have adjustable chairs.  We talked to Calvin three times yesterday.

It's the strangest emotion ever. It's like "joygrief." What do you call that? You are so proud and excited and happy for your kid--and yet you have to take care of your own grief at the passage of time. Let's face it, when you got a good kid you are going to miss them when they leave. It's normal.

I'm uplifted and buoyed by all the ones who've gone before. All the great kids who transitioned to being great friends with their parents. And Bill and I are great friends with our parents. There is great hope to accompany the normal melancholy.

To the parents of littles? Advice? Protect your marriage and other significant relationships. You will need/return to them. I also found myself thinking about the single moms I know who went through this alone. I'm sorry if I didn't get it before. I should have done more for you.

Second advice? Don't give it all to your kids. Keep something for yourself. I'm gonna write my book and get piano coaching and make my house and garden my sanctuary.

I'll still be driving back and forth to marching band. And trying to listen better.

Mary? You can't write much about your teen kids these days but I know she's going through the same thing as me. Missing her best friend but also ready to fly!

It's not a polished blog entry. But I have to go dig some hostas.  Dixie Chicks are all done for today.
Love to you all.