jsfantome's Journal, 11 August 2012

I will pray for you.. I too am close to those challenges! Hang tough :) 

His leaving will be a great day - deep down inside you know you wouldn't want it any other way. Change is good. Now, as for his rules - that is just too darn funny!!! 

Hang in there. I'll be sending my son back for his senior year in about a month. So my stress and drama will start escalating in a few days....Even though I've been through this....I cry like a baby every time. Just something about not seeing him everyday. Buffy's right - change is good. Helps me appreciate him more when he comes home! 

I wish that I could say, "things will get better" but I can promise you that they will "get different". I only had the one child so everything that happened just seemed to happen with no experience behind me. Going to college was my first test...getting married was my second test...buying their new home 1400 miles away my third test...and I suppose as life progresses I will be faced with more and more tests. Each time, I had to remind myself that at one time I was a test to my own mother...I had to remember how graciously Mom allowed me to grow, stretch my wings, and then fly. It is not easy to have a child leave the nest and especially when it is the last or only one to leave. What I can assure you of is that as you watch you child bloom you will realize just how much influence you have had on that child. You will see choices that you know came from his upbringing and you will feel even more pride in what he is becoming and has becomed. Your family is undoubtedly going to go through some stress with this transition. Your son wants desperately to show you and your husband that he is "all grown up and ready for the world." Think back to the first time you allowed him to get on his tricycle and ride it out of the yard....you held your breath and said a prayer...and he did come back all the more confident and pleased with himself. God will watch over both of you and one day, you will be writing about your son's graduation and plans for the future with a satisfied "well done Mom" pride. This is a challenging time...my prayers will be with you as always for both you and your son. By the way, texting is not really that bad...for the most part, I know while my daughter is texting, she isn't multi-tasking and I have her undivided attention for the small period of time! I think you will be pleasantly surprised as he will be calling you more than he realizes...he just "thinks" he wants to be independent and on his own! And besides, there are only 103 days until Thanksgiving...but who is counting! Hugs!!!! 

PS - was just coming by again and noticed that pound gone - even in the middle of all this stress. Slowly but surely you are back in the race. 

Buffy - thanks for noticing!!! ;) And to all of you..thanks for the comfort of friends - it really does help to hear your support in these loving comments!!! 

The whole family is getting together today - Daughter and New Son(inlaw), Middle Son & Hopefully Soon to be New Daughter(in law), and of course Youngest Son, plus myself and Dad. We are all going to meet out at a local hot spot...celebrating Middle Son's B-day (25 on Monday)...and celebrating youngest son's new adventure off to college! I am a little surprised at how much older sis and older brother are actually expressing how they will be missing 'youngest' too! We're all a really tight knit family...and they are all excited for him...and sad to see him go so far away. 103 Days til Thanksgiving - WOW, that's a LOT Gwen!!! But thanks for counting for me!! Not soooo bad when you think of it in little increments like that! Much Love. 

Paula, so many wonderful things ahead for you all, so much fun and lots of funny stories I am sure for the crazy things you will do. And rules are made to be broken LOL...I think that is funny, I would tell mine I can go and sit outside your class till you have finished, which they believed I really would do, (I never did) so kept them on their toes. You really wouldn't want it any other way, they do have to fly from the nest....for the wonderful adventures to come. {{{HUGS}}} 

Paula, I understand what you mean. My oldest moved to KC, a mere 3 hours away, after he got married and I was heartbroken. Cried for days...but after a few weeks all settled down. Then my baby boy got married, and they lived with us for a few month...even so, it was hard. Now we are old pros at the empty nest thing...and WE LOVE IT!! We enjoy having the boys and their wives visit, but it has been amazing getting back to just the two of us once again! BTW, congrats on the pound and I love the rules!! lol Hugs and LOTS of love and prayers! 

I, an only child, was the one who moved away, married a Navy man. It was hard on me, but must have been much harder on my mother. As I look back over the years I wish I had understood more about my mother's sadness. Now that I am old, I see thing clearer, sad that I was not more attentive. I am happy that your whole family is close knit. You will get through this. Your son is getting ready to fly, you'll be so proud of him. God bless you Paula. Hugs!  

Gigi - it's funny that you bring this up...from YOUR mom's perspective. I was thinking of my mom today, alot! She was so excited for the youngest to be headed off to college...yet she was soooo bummed out about it at the same time. She used to say "Having him around brought LIFE into the room!" And it's so true. Teenagers are full of LIFE. They don't just walk in a room...they BOUND in...talk loudly...get excited...share their enthusiasm...it's just so much fun to listen to him talk about the things that go on in his world. Is it perhaps that my life staying home w/ mom was just 'boring' sometimes? Yeah, probably. But we are all just trying to help him go...with the knowledge he'll be missed but the confidence that we wouldn't want it ANY OTHER WAY!!! ;) 

My eldest son is packing up ready to leave for his first year at university and while I am so proud of him, I am going to miss him dearly :( He was my first and we have always been close.