It's Been Quite a Week!

This is my new home away from home. Not bad, huh? Amanda has finally moved off to college and she began classes this past Wednesday. The move turned into a three-day ordeal. Between driving to and from Boston and down to Rhode Island, David and I spent 15 hours in the car from Friday to Monday! Thank goodness my car is comfortable.

This college move-in was entirely different from Kate's. During that day, we pulled up to the curb, unloaded the car, set up her room, went to assemblies, took her out to dinner, and drove home. Amanda's move-in happened in stages. On Friday we unloaded what we could knowing we had to bring the rest of it down on Sunday. Her room was about 80% set up by the time she had to say good-bye and then spent 2 days in a cabin attending a Leadership Program. On Sunday, we came back to deliver her bike and refrigerator, as well as a few other items. Then we took her home to attend an event the next day we had planned long ago. On Monday, it was finally time to drive down the coast to drop Kate back in Boston and Amanda in RI. 

People have asked me how I'm doing now that the children are gone. And the honest answer is (for now), I'm okay. I've been slowly letting go for about a month. We've been so busy that I put all of my energies in getting her settled. There have been many nights and days when the tears would fall, but I expected that and more. And I know they'll return at odd moments.

Staying busy helps, so besides work, I've been cleaning like crazy. David and I have a project list a mile long to make sure we keep ourselves from becoming too melancholy. And... we got a hot tub! A friend of a friend was getting rid of one and David knew I would really enjoy/need an extra source of relaxation. (And now I have a place to drown my sorrows as well.)

I promise next week, I'll return to sharing some fun links, but for now, I thought I'd share these for those of you who may be experiencing the same thing. 

Tips for Coping
Dads go through it too
4 Things They Never Tell You

I'm sure this won't be the last I write about this subject. But... I am going to embrace this time to make my home into a Autumnal oasis so warm and cozy that when they come back home, they won't want to leave so soon!