With the departure of my oldest child looming in my near future, I've been on the verge of my emotions for a while now.
Now I know that with all the modern communication available that we'll rarely be out of touch. And I know that we're going up to see her for Labor Day weekend too. It's not the end of the world.
But it sure feels like the end of childhood, the end of a major section of my life.

I can't help thinking of this constant list of advice ranging from quite practical to philosophical. Like these....

Tell a friend where you are going on a date and when you expect to return.
Don't put your bras in the dryer
Don't wait 'til the last minute to pick up your prescriptions
Churches love college students and will probably feed you
Call me every now and then
Don't count on the reliability of someone trying to sell you exam answers
Carry an umbrella - she'll be in Northeast Ohio
Don't forget that ultimately the purpose of this adventure is to study & learn
Eat vegetables every day - and not just pizza sauce

But more philosophically,
I wish for her an inner peace through the inevitable ups and downs that comes from knowing that I will always love her.

Any other advice you would add to my list?

So it looks like we have one big decision made: Sofie is going to go to Kent State University - the college I went to the longest, and where her father graduated. It's been 25 years since I had been there. A lot had changed. A lot was the same - like the slushy snow.



Boy college seems so cool. I want to go. I want to have that schedule, and the meal plan, and the rec center, and the free concerts. Not that I want to be 18 again. Sofie is ready to go. The program seems a good fit for her - and for our budget. She's already investigating sororities - Tri-Sigma being an early favorite.

What will this house be like without her here? If I think about that too long, the room always seems to turn swimmy. So I just look down at my feet for the next step.

Does life speed up as you age?