Personal reflection – as they leave the nest
My only child/daughter is getting ready to move out of our home and into college. Even though she’ll be close, it’ll still be a transition for us both. I’m filled with mixed feelings.
I am 90% completely excited for her and her college journey to start. I’m excited to hear all about: the friends she’s going to make (which ones will be people she’s still friends with in 20 years?!), the classes she’s taking, the things she’s learning/loving/hating, the teacher’s she’ll have/love/not love, the boys she’ll like/crush/date, the fun after-class things she’ll end up doing with her residence hall-mates, the clubs she’ll join, etc. It’s all so new, exciting, and the possibilities and combinations of things are endless!
Yet, that other 10% is nostalgic of simpler times when it was just me and her…coloring, playing with bubbles, doing our homework together when she was in elementary school and I was in grad school, painting our nails, make-up makeovers, staying up too late talking, going to movies, concerts, musicals together, hearing the days’ details, and having her in her room almost every night just across the hall from me. Didn’t I JUST bring her home from the hospital? Didn’t she JUST go to kindergarten? I feel like she JUST started high school a few months ago. Yet, we are shopping for things for her residence hall room, that she’ll share with another college freshman girl, and deciding what she’ll keep at home. Her room/my nest is about to become empty for 8 of the next 12 months and I’m going to miss her so deeply.
My husband and I plan to go places and I am looking forward to reading more and hanging out with friends. I also might resume learning ASL (for fun). I’m going to do so many things that I’ve put off while spending as much time with my daughter as possible for the finite time I have left with her at home. So, stay tuned readers. I’ll share more thoughts and feelings as this journey continues! Comment below with your thoughts and/or feelings; I’d love to hear what you have to say.
We’re in this together. 🙂
-LouAnna
