A Time for Everything

To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose....and dear reader, it is time for this blog to come to an end.  Although the early incarnations of this idea had a couple iterations on other formats, this blog eventually fit my purpose: make sure the grandparents can follow the kids' growth and activities.  The kids were young, their grandparents were far away, and I knew I wanted to share their pictures and fun stories with everyone.  I think even early on I realized the crazy demands on raising children can so easily allow the funny moments to get lost, that I wanted a repository for later.  For when they were all gone from the house.  A vault for anecdotes that can too easily get lost in the busier times and stresses of a young family, and even more so as a family grows.  I know too that long ago this format became an enjoyable project for me.  It was my diary of a time raising kids, the adventures we were having, and often time a place that allowed me to travel back in time on the days that we can all use a positive reminder of what is good, what is important.  

As I look now this will by the 478 entry, it will fill 5-6 volumes of hard cover books in our living room and likely be just shy of 2000 pages.  When it started there were few self imposed rules:  outside activity, kid centered, try to have a picture and anecdote worth saving.  The entries contained tid-bits on the weather, what we were eating, and other minutiae.  It is my project, so often there are hidden phrases, word choices, or imagery that are meant to invoke my memory. There are layers of emotions in these volumes.  As the kids grew my entries changed a bit, but the importance did not. 

Amy mentioned a few days ago that we aren't empty-nesters so much as nestling launchers, that is a good state of mind and point a view.  A positive spin on what can otherwise be a sad milestone in parenting. About a year ago it occurred to me that Graces' College move in day would be the appropriate ending for this project.   This kids are all adults now, we will still parent them as much as every, albeit differently, and I am happy knowing they are happy and all have pretty good relationships with us, and great ones with their grandparents. 

Thank you kids for making this all possible, teaching me emotional depths of pride and love that I did not know were possible.  I love you all very much and am so proud of what all of you have and will accomplish.

The launch

We took Thursday off work, loaded up both cars due to the pending storms and moved Grace into Lax.  I think it was easily the hottest dorm move in we have ever had and I know it was certainly the most humid.  We carried the boxes, totes, and bags into the building and up the stairs but honestly the air was almost thick enough to have just floated the cargo.  Grace and her roommate have been planning out their space for the past few months, but that is different than working around all the boxes in the 8x8 space...or at least it takes some time to get move from the plan to implementation.  But in the end Grace had the mirror and calendar hung, clothes in the drawers and closets, and the beginnings of nice 'living space' under her lofted bed; complete with a nearly wall to wall rug that finessed under the beds and dressers. Her Coach new she was moving in and he and the new assistant made a point of stopping by and checking in on her.  Amy and I met them on the stairs after our final load and we all had a nice chat about the team and team dynamics he is trying to build.  We did also notice all the activities posted around the Residence hall to get the students to mingle, one of which is eating Benny & Jerrys (BJs) in your pajamas (PJs).  Things change.  Grace's dorm was super cute and she I can see her making if feel like home.  I get my photo set up nice and high on her book shelf as she set up her make up area and she was kind enough to leave it in place while I was there.  We hit Howie's for a late lunch and target for last minute items...along with all of the other UW-LaX families.  Coincidently bumping into Merrick while we were there.  We put the finishing steps on her room and then walked outside for a final hug and photo next to the Resident hall sign.  We were doing so well up to then, emotions were in check, but the finality of the pending goodbye is always hard.  Parenting is the only relationship that if you do it correctly means they ultimately leave you and all of these emotions of pride, joy, sadness have a tendency to leak out of your face on a very hot, humid day on the sidewalk in front of Angel hall.  We stopped by Merrick's apartment to drop of his golf clubs, get a quick update on his new job, and a hug before making the long ride home where Grace's car was still parked in the street and the sugary vanilla smell of her still lingered upstairs; while she was laughing with friends both old and new as she checked on the campus and her newly adopted city.