When my oldest daughter graduated from high school I was so sad. So sad in fact that she agreed to give up the fun of dorm life (??) and lived at home all four years as she got her bachelor's degree. Once she got that, she followed the dreams of young love, and moved all the way to San Antonio to attend graduate school and be near "the boy". Not that I was happy to see her go through the end of a relationship, but I was ecstatic when she called saying she wanted to move back and finish her Master's and live in a city not so far away.
Fast forward through the next years as her twin sisters grew, and I never thought I would feel the same when it came time for them to leave. My favorite joke was that when my oldest graduated I said, "No, I don't want you to go away to college. Stay home!" And now, with her younger sisters I'd say, "No, I don't want you to stay home. Go away to college!"
Well, I was wrong. They have graduated high school and will be moving into apartments to go to college in less than two months. Granted they are only going to be about 25 miles away, which is an easily handled distance. But, cutting those ties isn't easy, whether it's 25 miles, or 2500!
So, I am trying to convince myself day after day, that all of the things we tried to teach them over the years will have stuck. Even though we had no signs along the way that it did! I can only hope and pray that they realize the values and morals and beliefs we tried to instill in them were for a reason and that they will pop into mind when faced with the day to day struggles of young adulthood.
They are counting down the days until the big move, when life will become one big party...or so they think. I know they will still need me though. I've already been asked to bring groceries!
Here are my beautiful girls!
Mary
