Now that we have moved them into the dorm!

My just turned 18 year old, living three states away, called and asked me which brand of STARCH to use,...huh? Starch?? As in he was actually IRONING???
I didnt know he even knew that an iron existed. I thought perhaps he thought it was a biological extension of only a mother's arm! ha!

No clothes thrown in a gigantic heap on the floor with the cats curled up in his wet towels stragetically located on top of the way too over priced $$$$ name brand Abercrombie and Hollister attire???

Whoa,...of course mine is in the military dorms,..and not college dorms,..so maaaaybe that has something to do with it. ( they have mandatory room inspections )

When I asked why he didnt just take his dressy shirts to the cleaners,..he said he was being frugal,..and would rather do his clothes himself to save money for an occasional CD or two and,...drum roll pleeease,..here's the best part,.... family Christmas presents!!!!!
Ahhhh,....what a goood answer my son!
Schmooooze or no schmoozing,..he still made my heart gush.

( I think perhaps I already got my Christmas present! )

Diamond Darling,...good idea,..this shoud be a fun-no-need-for-kleenex thread!

quote:

I suggested to my son that he needed a plant for his room to make it a little more like home.

LOL I did the same thing before my son's freshman year! The pot matched his bedding and everything! I thought a plant makes a place feel "right"! Well, unlike your son, he never watered it. Despite the fact it was one that took very little care, by the end of the year we had to say goodbye to the college plant! This year.... no plant bought!

Got my son moved in last Thursday. My sister called me last night to tell me she had talked to her nephew and he was all excited because his classes did not start until 11:00 on Monday and he could sleep in. She was surprised that he only had 2 classes on MWF. I had to explain to her that I was surprised as well since his schedule showed his classes starting at 8:00 a.m. and he had three classes today. Called the son and he and his room mate had quite a laugh. He had made a bet with his roomate that I would call within the hour. Got even though, called hom on his cell this morning at 6:00 a.m. and told him it was 8 and he was late.

Man I am starting to love these college pranks, reminds me of the old days!

Son stopped over in Atlanta to pick up a car that one of my sisters kindly gave to him.....a standard...to date he has only driven automatics....but for the past few days my Atlanta family members have been assuring me that he is driving well....no problems, and indeed son assured me of the same last night.....

He called me a little while ago....after a 9 hour drive he was at school.....he sounded so happy....I asked him how his driving went.....he said okay....except he's "...still having problems with the stop and go thing...".

LadyNMom.... I don't believe in having to shift gears!!

When my kids began to drive (daughter just had license for about a month), their dad felt as though they needed to start out with standards. Son took to it pretty easily and has always driven a stick. However, after my daughter took up dad's clutch in his truck, he revamped his plan a bit for her! She drives an automatic!!

B. doing that drive to school was probably a great experience in getting use to new wheels! Glad he made his trip safely!

This is kind of an update. Son is off at college and informed me this last weekend that he would not be able to get home until Thanksgiving...we live 2 1/2 hours from his college. Proudly I said ok and went about my way sulking through the day....the pain of being a freshmans mom. Called him this morning to tell him that we would be within thirty minutes of him at his brothers tournament this weekend and did he need us to bring anything up.

After a brief pause he asked if we could come by and pick him up to go watch the Saturday games, and maybe we can get some dinner and maybe then if its to late he will stay with us in the hotel but he absolutely had to be back at his dorm by Sunday evening. Today I wear a big smile cause I know I'll have all of my boys together on Saturday and on sunday I'll be grocery shopping for the dorm

This being our fourth child to move on to college, I thought I would have the emotions under control - although considering I cried during his last three high school baseball games and his last legion game, not to mention graduation and honors night, I'm not sure what I was thinking!

After a "last dinner" and a nonchalant goodbye in front of the dorm, I got in the car determined not to cry... until hubby said "no crying now." Of course I lost it. I finally got myself back under control and my phone rang - daughter #1 "you're not crying, are you mom?" So of course, I cried some more. Dried my tears, phone rings again, daughter #2 "I heard you were crying mom"... more tears. Future daughter-in-law calls - "I was thinking about you - are you done crying yet?" WHAT THE HECK! Does everyone think I'm a cry baby?!? Well at least I didn't let my boy see me cry... Oldest son calls his brother at school to check up on him and asks him "did mom cry?" Son says "of course, but she tried not to show it!"

I could cry right now just thinking about it!

Mythreesons, That is a cute story!

I just spent an hour on the phone with an old friend who's son is six weeks younger than my son. Her youngest daughter is six months older than my daughter. Bottom line, we've known each other the kid's entire lives and began to talk about where the time has gone. There's just no getting around the bittersweet feelings that attack us when our kids are making this transition into adulthood.

We have to celebrate the promise and joy over their opportunities. They have to allow us our tears too! Fortunately for us HSBBW moms, I think most of our kids are very respectful of those feelings.

I remember last year when my son went off for his freshman year. I really did very well until he'd been gone for several days and I was driving to work one morning. I looked on the sidewalk and there was this little white haired boy about three years old riding his tiny bike with Mom walking behind. The emotion that generated in me can still be felt right now. Somehow, those years just pass by so quickly!

...Days they pass so quickly now, the nights are seldom long
Time around me whispers when it's cold.
The changes somehow frightens me, still I have to smile

My favorite memory of freshman move-in (now a distant 2-year-old memory!) is based upon a Stanford tradition. The upperclassman RAs (resident advisors) for each freshman dorm, as part of their orientation training, memorize the face and name of every freshman in their particular dorm. Then on move-in day, they are all congregated at the front of the dorm. As each freshman arrives at the front of the check-in line, the RAs gather around and do something--a skit, a chant, something--about that student, and end with "Welcome to Stanford, (Name)!" (without any prompting or asking the student)

When son arrived at the front of the line at his dorm, the RAs huddled together in a circle, whispering. Then a long, lean RA leaped out of the circle, ran to a nearby tree, and immediately went into an exaggerated and very comical pitching wind-up, finally "throwing" the imaginary baseball at the rest of the RAs who were waiting to "catch" it. Then in unison they all yelled, "Welcome to Stanford, David!"
Priceless.

Soon after that moment, I was banished to the hinterlands. Now he packs up and moves in without us!

My son moved in last week. Thought I was doing well until I saw another mom crying and saying goodbye to her son in the parking lot. That was all that was needed to start the water works. What made me laugh later was the image in my mind. I was hugging my 6'4" son goodbye, I only stand as tall as his chest, and was slobbering all over his shirt. When he walked away and thought I wasn't looking, he looked at his shirt ,started smiling and tried to wipe away the mess I left on his shirt.
He called and said he pitched in his first college scrimmage and did well. I cried again. I am a cry baby too ,Mythreesons.

Cibaseball--how cute is your post. Made me think of my youngest who is really tall...he will be wiping off his chest when I drop him off. You made my day

My son just verbally committed last night to a school 11 1/2 hours from home. He's so excited and thrilled. While I feel that excitement for him, I'm also SO depressed at the moment. A song came on the radio this morning that made me just lose it. I cried the whole way to school-had to sneak in before someone could ask me what was wrong and set me off again!! Never mind dropping him off next year- I'm going to be a complete basketcase before he even leaves at this rate!

quote:

My son just verbally committed last night to a school 11 1/2 hours from home.

ORmom...a big congratulations to your son and your family!

ORMom - Congrats to your son on his decision! I think you'll find some of your emotion tempered by the joy and excitement that he will be feeling with this process. Quite an exciting time in a young man's life!

ORmom
Congratulations to your son and your family. Now you can relax and enjoy senior year.

ORMOM,...we HSBBW ladies are here for ya! Cry, vent, complain, or hoop and holler. Doesnt matter. We'll take it all. Thats what we do here. Us moms gather around and support one another. Soooo glad you posted. I am sooo excited for your son!!! REALLY REALLY excited for him! You will be amazed how quickly an 11 1/2 hour drive becomes when there is a determined mom behind the wheel on a mission to go see her son! Poof,..it will zoom by and before you know it, you will be standing there at his dorm/apartment door! Piece of cake!!
While you keep a stiff upper lip for the sake of your son,..we feel your heart ache.
Its going to be ok,..it really will be. You will adapt and overcome. Easier said than done I know....but have faith. This is a good thing...an awesome new begining for him and you both!! CONGRATULATIONS!!! I send you kleenex, balloons, and hugzzzzzz!!!

ORmom.....would like to add my congratulations to your son.....we went through freshman good bys last year....and it does get easier.....did I cry this year? Yes, but.....less than last year!

ORmom - I'm right there with you! Mine is a 12 hour drive and flying back and forth isn't a real option for us. It is hard - but we do make it through - and it gets easier as time goes on.

What an exciting and amazing time for your son and family. He has reached a dream that few get the opportunity to experience. When you stand next to him as he signs his letter of intent you will smile from ear to ear and not think about how far away he is going but how beautiful he looks sitting there and signing that letter. There will be both pride and excitement in his eyes and then he will look at you and his eyes will say it all. A simple thank you and I love you all at one time and then you will truly enjoy the experience. He will walk tall through his senior year and enjoy the upcoming baseball season knowing that he will play at the next level. You and your family will have a more relaxed look as you enter the ball park for games and not cring when there is an error. He will graduate and then you will start to feel the pang of his leaving but for now pat yourself on the back and get ready for a wonderful ride that your son has continually taken you on.

I myself think it is kind of cute that you wrote "11 and 1/2 hours"--meaning you have really timed it down to the minute .

I am sentimental about a lot of things about my children, but I have to confess that I don't get sentimental about their going to college--at least not my son, who is just so happy to be where he is, doing what he is, being with the people/teammates/coaches/friends he has. It just makes me smile. On the other hand, I probably don't really have any standing since school is so close by. (Don't ask how close, please, it is embarrassing) I'll have to see how I feel when my babies (twin daughters, juniors now) go off two years from now. I know you will all kindly indulge my blubbering then even if they don't play baseball.

Gosh now I am gonna cry again..lol

I held off..it was tough..we set him up in his dorm the day before everybody else really started moving in. So he was basically alone that first day and night.

My husband balled like a baby when we said goodbye. I didnt I wasnt gonna cry at all. 4 hr trip home all my husband could talk about was what we forgot to buy him. O geez no can opener..I was like stop finding excuses to go back.

Soon as we hit the exit ramp off the interstate to turn to go home I lost it and cried for 4 horus straight that night. Most of the week...then it got easier and easier. Talked to other moms who and it got easier. lol

Now when he comes home I wanna know when he's leaving...lol...he's like mom you like that I am gone dont ya? No just less laundry and less food to cook.