That's what I was told all those years ago, when my babies were still actual babies. And it held true - so many long days when they were little, but time kept passing, faster and faster each year, until suddenly we are here, having dropped a kid off at college and driven away.
This sweet girl, my daughter Caroline, is now a freshman at the University of Arkansas, with a major in Environmental Science. I can still remember the exact feeling of awe that came over me when she was first placed in my arms. Those dimples! They were the first thing I noticed about her. That, and a strawberry blonde peach fuzz that has deepened into auburn as she has grown up.
We've spent the past few weeks preparing (and spending allllll the money) to send her off in style. We had a lot of fun picking out things for her dorm room, and making sure she would be outfitted appropriately (of course), and then suddenly departure day was upon us. I know this is something that every parent goes through when their kiddos leave the nest, but it really does feel like the end of a chapter of life. It's a new and exciting chapter for her, and we are so excited for her new adventures, but it's also a new chapter for us, with our one kiddo left (she's a Sophomore) and a quiet house now that Caroline is gone. It helped that we got to spend a few days with her in Fayetteville, exploring her new hometown, so now I have a frame of reference for the scene of her new life. And we will be busy here too - Isabel (the Sophomore) plays the trumpet in marching band, and if you or anyone you know has ever been involved in band, you know that marching season is a whirlwind of activity!
Also, Mr Bo Jangles had his "snip snip" surgery this week, and here he is in his cone of shame. He's about seven months old now and as hyper as you'd expect an Aussie puppy to be. Endless energy, that's him! I snapped this pic just as I was about to leave for a bike ride, hence the bike shoes.
Speaking of bike shoes, I've been riding a lot lately too. It's my mental health break. I can't run anymore, due to various nagging injuries, so I spend more time on the bike and it really helps to clear my head. With Caroline going off to college, and my Dad having some serious health problems with no one living near him, this has been a stressful summer. In fact, it's been a stressful year - our young dog died at spring break, and then Dyron's mom had emergency surgery in May and recuperated here with us for a few weeks. We renovated our upstairs (both bathrooms up there and new carpet and paint), and got a puppy during that same several-week period. Then my Dad went into the hospital for uncontrolled diabetes for over a month, and now of course the kid-at-college thing. Whew! My head is still spinning over it all.
Anyway, if you've noticed I haven't been posting as much on social media, now you know why! I'm hoping this fall will bring some calmer seas for us.
Thanks for taking the time to read this, and I hope you are all surviving the heat where you are!
Comentarios