Okay, okay…
before you gasp, get angry, and claim: there’s still a good couple weeks of summer left, hear me out.
Yesterday, with my parents, I moved Justine to college.
It was surreal, sad, overwhelming, proud, & a bunch of other adjectives.
I can’t believe my little sister is now in college. I can’t believe she’s not living ten minutes down the road, that I won’t see her mosey upstairs from her bedroom when she hears Ace and I visiting my parents in their kitchen. I can’t believe she’s all on her own, without me, Alissa, or my parents to guide her, protect her, help her, & do all the other things we’ve done for her for so many years.
To say, things will change is an understatement, everything is going to be different.
I think Justine will soar. Remember this post, about how proud I was during orientation weekend, watching her stride up to new friends confidently? I keep reminding myself of what I saw those couple days and what I witnessed yesterday. She is ready for this change. She is ready to be on her own. She is ready to be out from under shadows; she is ready for life.
Tony reminded my parents and I last night of something, as well.
It’s okay for her to be a little uncomfortable, to problem solve, to be confused at times. That is what being on your own, growing up, is all about.
I know his words helped me. I am hoping they helped my parents. Justine is their baby. The house is now officially without children. I know it will take some time for them to adapt to their new normal.
So, now, I’m back to things feeling like fall.
Since Justine is back at college and there is a new cool breeze racing through the air, fall is right around the corner. I’m pumped.
Fall means football, bonfires, scarves, & boots. It means the start of the new school year, meeting new students, and wedding season. Fall brings an excitement to the atmosphere. I swear this excitement is because people, no matter how old, are programmed to know a change is coming. It’s when you went back to school as a little kid, it signified the end of boating season, and the beginning of hunting season. It develops new routines & inspires new crock pot meals. The list could go on…
& Like I said, I’m pumped.
Here’s to another week of summer vacation & cleaning out my storage tubs from collecting dust in our basement, in search of teaching materials.
xo