Drawing to an end

 It seems like this is the right time to wrap up this blog. So I'll end this with a note directly to the kids.

Reed and Amy,

We called our trivia team "Empty Nesters"
and we won third place!

Somehow we've arrived at the time when you are both officially adults, off at college and beginning to make your way through the world on your own. 

It's a tough thing to adjust to, this whole "empty nest". 

We spent 21+ years knowing where you were at all times (I'm including pregnancy, where I certainly knew where you were, since I carried you around in my body!), and generally how you were doing and what was going on in your life. Now we can only watch your whereabouts on our phones (thank goodness for technology!) and check in periodically with the hopes that we're not being annoying, as you attend classes, hang out with friends, and learn how to be (mostly) totally responsible for yourselves. 

We don't have any doubts about your ability to manage that, so in a sense it should be easy. But it's not. We miss you every day, and the house is so quiet.

It struck me the other day how time goes along and we find ourselves playing the roles our parents played. Having a scheduled weekly phone call to catch up, like Tod and his Dad did for so many Sunday mornings, and before that his Mom. Grandparents waiting and hoping for a phone call or a visit. I think no matter how often you call or visit, your parents and grandparents wish it were more. I see a glimpse of our future in these thoughts, and wonder where life will bring you both and how often we will get to talk with and see you in your big, bright futures. I guess I'm a little melancholy.

I started this blog with the idea that one day I'd have it printed out for you, so that's what I'll be working on next. I am not sure if either of you will ever really read it all, but I hope you will, and I hope you will know how much we love you and how important you are to us. Being your parents is a joy.

We love you so much and are so proud of both of you. 

XOXO,

Mom & Dad

She's doing great!

First day of class!

Amy seems to have settled into college life beautifully! 

She ended up with a MWF 8 a.m. microeconomics class, which isn't ideal, but she's rolled with it. She has had a little bit of homework in that class, and some drawing homework in another, but mostly she's just having a whole lot of free time, which is a new feeling for her.

She has also gone on a tubing outing as well as a paddleboarding outing, which I'm so happy about. She did a few of the other initial social activities too. She's gotten to know the other first year TDPs (that's Theatre Design & Production majors) and made a couple of shopping outings. 

Her roommate Erica has gone home all three weekends so far, so she's even had the room to herself a bit. They don't seem to really be interacting with their suite mates much but I guess that's okay?

Amy has tickets to a concert on Sunday night in D.C. so she's going to come home Saturday for that, and head back to school early Monday morning. We are waiting for her to say she wants to bring her car back, which will be fine. 

So happy that it's going so well!