Baby has been on campus for over two weeks now. He did come home, one day, to do his laundry (or for me to do his laundry), but he didn't stay the night.
Believing what I've seen on television commercials, I thought I would be standing in the driveway jumping up and down for joy at one of my little hatchlings flying away. I should know better. I don't even choose to send them to school.
For those of you who have not experienced sending a child off to college, I can tell you that your heart hurts. Several times a day, especially at bed time, I get that sick feeling that you get when you have forgotten something really important. It's very physical.
I know that it's only been two weeks, and it will get easier, but for now I feel an aching need to stay connected to him.
Fortunately, in this technological age, I can text him and no one but he and I know who we're texting. He doesn't have to answer the phone and have a conversation with me, answering my questions about what he did all day. He can just answer my texts. And since I was having a hard time texting with my older cell phone, my honey love brought me home a new one. It's my new life line to my son.
So every night at 10 p.m., baby texts me to let me know he's o.k. We chat back and forth for a few minutes about what he's doing (and I try not to drill him about what he ate and how much he slept) and then we say goodnight.
For the first few days that he texted me, Doug teased me and tried to block my path to the phone. Then he realized that it was like trying to block a mother bear. I would have tackled him like James Laurinaitis to get to that phone. That last text is one of the best parts of my day.
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Ack! I really do not look forward to this, as I am not even handling kindergarten all that well. I'm trying to convince my kids that "hermit" is a viable career option.
ReplyDeleteI'd better learn how to text before Francie flies the coop. Oh, who am I kidding? By that time we'll probably all be communicating through chips implanted in our heads or something equally creepy :)
I'm all for buying up a lot of land and building four extra houses on it -- one for each. I think the Duggers are doing that. Then they never have to leave home. Of course, they need to find a job that does not require college, but that's doable.
ReplyDeleteSweet!
ReplyDeleteI have been learning this year that my older son is much more receptive to a text than to a phone call. So I am learning to text! I guess it will come in handy in 2 years, and then I'll have to buy an Actual Cell Phone Plan instead of the prepaid I'm using now! LOL!
Aw, what a sweet post Barbara. It's only been ten years since my first college experience and I think I can safely say he feels a bit the same, although perhaps not as strongly.
ReplyDeleteI remember really missing my Dad when everyone was in bed and things were quiet. They were still in Europe at that point and texting was not an option.
One of my fondest college memories is Dad mailing me big long letters. We had email, but those letters meant the world! :)
Anyhoo... keep it up... it probably means more to him than he'd ever admit!
This is just such a fabulous and speedy way to keep in touch. We have cell phone unlimited plans with our older four married adult children, and a quick text always satisfies this mother when necessary. :)
ReplyDelete