I remember the ride to New York with mom, taking him to Rochester to begin his collegiate career. The night before we were to go home, we took him out to dinner. We had to hurry because he was busy with others doing the "meeting the other dormers," and that he had to be back by 8:00 for a meeting with his Dorm Advisor. Not much said at dinner for fear of leaving things in an un-settling manner. We asked if he wanted to have breakfast with us in the morning and he said, "would think about it" and let us know after dinner.
We drove back to the dorm where we asked again about breakfast. He quickly, but softly replied, "no, he didn't think so" and proceeded to give us hugs and said to call him when we left in th emorning. Talk about emotional!!!!! But all three of us held-up pretty well.
I learned that the kid who I saw everyday was now gone, becoming more of a man than I wanted him to be.
I learned after that during Thanksgiving and Christmas, to control my thoughts from quizzing him about his friends at school, what he did, and who he associated with. First semester Dean's List with a 3.93 in a Biomedical Engineering program. Add baseball with teammates, weight training, bad eating habits, and little sleep!!
I learned that when his sister gave birth to twin girls in January, right before he went back to school, he showed a side to him that really made me proud. He wasn't afraid to be with them or hold them. They were premature by 3 weeks. He spent a lot of time at the hospital. The man was getting older, qiuckly.
I learned that he has great feelings about his nieces. He purchased two pink "onesies" for them that read, "someone from the University of Rochester loves me!"
I'm learning not to pick-up the phone and call him.
I'm learning that I'm having a very hard time of 'letting go!'
He will be celebrating his 19th birthday tomorrow! I've learned not to osk him what he plans on doing to celebtrate.
I learned that I'm getting older, thank God, and that I am now a grandfather with a 19 year old in college!