<p>Getting to the last of the packing today. We will leave in the morning for our blessedly short drive to move-in. DD has been saying her goodbyes. Younger brother is sad to see her go. But I keep reminding him that he will get to visit next week. Dad and I will miss her but excited about all the great opportunities awaiting her at UA!</p>
<p>Exciting times! Have a safe trip.</p>
<p>We are in the same boat. In less than 24 hours we will be on a plane heading for Alabama. Reality is hitting hard right now. So excited and so sad at the same time.</p>
<p>We leave one week from tomorrow to take my D back to school for year #2. Happy for her, and a little sad … it’s been a WONDERFUL summer! Roll Tide!!!</p>
<p>DD has paused packing and doing her laundry to look at her Senior yearbook that we picked up yesterday. New tears flowing for us both…</p>
<p>To all of you moms (okay dads too adjust as needed). As you leave your child, and the tears are gathering repeat to yourselves over and over again. </p>
<p>“I AM A SUCCESSFUL MOTHER. (deep breath) I AM A SUCCESSFUL MOTHER…” </p>
<p>Two years ago (can’t believe how it has flown) just before leaving for move-in and emotional, a best friend told me that I needed to remember that I was successful --</p>
<p>I (WE) have raised a child that has met challenges, achieved goals, is not holding back from moving forward to experience and explore new opportunities away from us. </p>
<p>And I can tell you, I still need to use it everytime he heads out to the plane. (okay here come the tears, got to go ROLL TIDE </p>
<p>—"I am a…</p>
<p>Travel safely and enjoy this experience. You should all be very proud parents for raising such successful and confident children. They’ve chosen a wonderful school which will provide them with amazing opportunities for growth as they seek out new experiences.</p>
<p>I can promise you the next year is going to fly by. You’ll be grumbling about packing again before you can blink.</p>
<p>We leave in less than a week and we have just finished unpacking and repacking the first three boxes…for the third time…Lol! 
I seriously hope all of this stuff for her new apartment fits in my Suburban and covered trailer…We shall see when we do our practice packing on Sunday. We are excited to be returning to Tuscaloosa and the UA! Roll Tide!</p>
<p>So true socal! I also remember the words of one of my children’s elem. school counselors. Several years ago her D was a senior and had been accepted to UA but she was killed in a freak auto accident. Her D’s scholarship letter arrived the day after the funeral. I’ll never forget what she told me as my D got older, “Never say that you wish you could keep her the same forever, my daughter will always be the same age and I wish she was growing and moving on, but she never will.” I try to remember that when I think about missing her that with today’s technology we can “see” each other anytime.</p>
<p>Is it a girl thing? My son, who leaves next week, has not packed anything, and is actually going camping for a couple of days this weekend. He finally emptied his backpack from high school. He is not concerned, according to him “mom I’m not going to a third world country, if I need anything I’ll go buy it”.
I’m not sure what his roommates are bringing/not bringing, I have a checklist, which he barely glances at
He’s an adult, at least in our state, so I’m giving up!</p>
<p>^Did you find the remains of his last school lunch in that backpack? From May? That had turned into a watery disgusting mess but was still sealed in a Ziploc? That was us a week ago.</p>
<p>Class2012Mom, I don’t know if there was anything disgusting in the backpack since he emptied it out-all I saw was the empty backpack. I guess I should consider it progress, he took a tiny step towards getting ready. What is he doing tonight you ask? He’s out with friends, any thought as to packing-absolutely not!
Good thing I ordered the REI rainproof backpack cover and Crimson Hurricane Rain jacket, at least I’ve done my part.
By the way, our boys may end up looking like twins if they have the same jacket and backpack cover-I ordered the grey backpack cover.</p>
<p>i’m heading out tomorrow and did all of my packing today. it is a girl thing.</p>
<p>Yeah, I seem to be the only “girl” worried about it as DS is at the beach…</p>
<p>Well, DD is sitting with us watching beach volleyball. A few boxes left to pack. Less than 12 hrs until we leave and she doesn’t seem to be worried about the fact that her laundry still isn’t completely finished. Roll Tide!</p>
<p>Don’t get me started on laundry, after a few attempts at teaching him to wash, lo and behold my washer broke. He’s not going near the new one, guess who will be doing laundry this weekend-me.
While I envy you moms who have gone shopping with your children, met and/or contacted roommates, have excel spreadsheets and checklists, have packed and unpacked.
I’m happy and thankful to deal with what I have, a laid back, great kid, who will pack at the last minute, meet his roommates on move in day. Will they have a TV in the dorm?, dishes? cleaning supplies? They can figure it out.
He’ll shove what he can in the car and off we’ll go to the next phase of his life.
If he forgets anything, I’ll mail it to him.<br>
So many parents have major issues with their children, or as a previous poster indicated, their children are no longer with them.<br>
Instead of complaining I’m going to say Roll Tide!</p>
<p>Well, we are packed and ready to leave today…YIPPEE! Everything had gone perfectly until yesterday when my son went to get his hair cut. The hairdresser cut it WAY TOO SHORT! Poor guy! I am sure she thought she was doing him a favor cutting it so short so he would not havet og et a haircut anytime soon, but he is so embarrassed to be meeting everyone for the first time looking the way he does. Of course, I think it looks clean and neat, but I know most boys do not wear their hair very short. Oh well… if that is the worse thing that happens, I guess I shouldn’t complain. :-)</p>
<p>We leave tomorrow, bright and early, and who is the most stressed out-me! DS is at the beach. He did lay out all of his clothes and we’ve been piling stuff in the living room for weeks. Yesterday he asked if he could have his friends over (like I’d asked 2 weeks ago) to watch the soccer game and have a cookout. I ran to the grocery store this morning, and once again, burst into tears in the roll aisle. I am SO excited for him to go but will miss the camaraderie with his friends, the “busyness” of everyday life and oh, that smile:) I am hoping that I can squeeze everything we have in to what now seems like such a small SUV. Thanks goodness for the roof rack.
Thanks to all who have posted on these boards. We couldn’t have done it without all of you. Safe travels to everyone and best wishes for your children to have a successful, fun-filled year! Roll Tide Roll.</p>
<p>Jerz,</p>
<p>If you’re anything like me you’re about to find out just how many small items you can shove underneath the seats in the SUV…lol…that’s what I did last year!</p>
<p>Good luck and travel safely.</p>
<p>
Everyone should keep this in mind! There is nothing you could forget that can’t either be purchased in Tuscaloosa or mailed within a few days. No reason to stress too much :)</p>
<p>I don’t know about the girl thing…if I’m lucky, I’ll start doing laundry and packing for my 8 am flight the night before and not the day of. And my also-female roommate is exactly the same as me. I procrastinate packing even worse than school work.</p>
<p>Well we are already on our way from RI. We are in NJ now almost in Penn. it will be a long drive. The small(!) rental we have is crammed full. Planning on swinging by BB&B on the way through Birmingham and holding that stuff on our laps. Then after move in we will make the Target run for all the other stuff. Gotta squeeze time in to try a new restaurant. Hope S finds someone to hang with after we leave.Roll Tide!</p>