<p>jc40, I read your post after I posted. I am kind of flippant, I didn’t mean joking about S as Jesus to be disrespectful to anyones beliefs! I just make too many jokes and not always funny ones.</p>
<p>austinmtmom, I am meeting my tennis buddies for drinks this afternoon, I think the drink of the day is a Carribean Martini!</p>
<p>Thanks for explaining my mom’s feelings to me. I do understand that she felt like she was helping, and I thanked her for taking the time to go shopping. I keep saying that I need to do my dorm shopping, and I even mentioned that if she didn’t want to do it with me she could really just drop me off at Target, BB&B and Staples for an hour at each and a few hundred dollars and I could do it myself…I think she wants to do it with me despite her hatred of shopping because she wants to spend as much time as possible with me before I go. But I will heed all your excellent advice and try to make it easier on her. And I will include lunch plans :)</p>
<p>I am also the oldest grandchild (of 4 on both sides) and have always been expected to help out, babysit, etc. The flip side, as acm mentioned, is that I got to spend the most time with my grandparents and they do really expect the most from me.</p>
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<p>Teenage: You are a very insightful young woman. I’m sure you and your mom will work out this time together…Just remember that advice here is based on others’ opinions…We all do our best to support and nurture…Though, only your mom can explain her feelings…we make suggestions based on our own life experience…just my opinion…</p>
<p>t_c: Can we trade moms? My mom would so rather let me do it all myself, but I keep wanting her to come 
I think it’s really nice of you to go along with it, though. </p>
<p>GSharp - what a great post, and best of luck! </p>
<p>Regarding grandparents, I only have one living grandparent. My parents had kids really late. I don’t remember my paternal grandparents at all, but I remember my maternal grandmother who died when I was 10. Unfortunately, my one grandparent’s health (my maternal grandfather) isn’t so great, but he’s hanging on for now. </p>
<p>What I like about my parents: One thing is that they are very trusting of me. Sometimes, that means that they trust me to get things done by myself without their help, which isn’t always as fun, but they also give me a considerable amount of freedom because they trust my judgment and know that I won’t get in trouble. And I think they’re right for the most part; my friends and I really aren’t the partying/drinking/getting into trouble/ doing dangerous stuff types at all. Nonetheless, many of my friends parents still don’t seem trust their children in the same way my parents trust me.</p>
<p>TGIF! I am so glad this week is over as it was another very busy one for me at work. </p>
<p>Parent56 - big hugs to you. I hope the JrROTC will be the motivator that your son needs. </p>
<p>austinmtmom - my D seems to be a bit more distant lately and I think this may be her coping mechanism to prepare herself for being so far away. She has wanted to be in NYC for so long that I don’t think she will ever say outloud how much she will miss us being all the way across the country. </p>
<p>We leave in 28 days to move D into the dorm. Where has the time gone this summer???</p>
<p>We have 2 weeks and 3 days until S moves into dorm. I am trying to plan one last BBQ before he goes. Some of his friends will be gone to a concert at the State Fair one day/evening, a couple of his friends leave before him, etc. Seems we can’t find ONE day that works. 
GF is here ALL the time. Ok…but too much of a good thing.</p>
<p>2 weekends left. We have packed nothing.</p>
<p>Sigh.</p>
<p>Thanks for the words of welcome, everyone! I just joined a few days ago and I already feel like part of a big, caring community- it really helps :). We’re getting ready to leave bright and early tomorrow for a family trip to Pennsylvania, picking up oldest daughter (in Connecticut, where she is working for the summer) along the way so that we’ll be a full family of 5 again. We did this trip to the Lancaster area about 5 years ago and really loved it! I’m so looking forward to spending this time together, but I’m also acutely aware that this may be our last real family vacation together as eldest will graduate from college next spring- and hopefull find a job! I’ll try not to think about that and just enjoy the week. Once we get back we’ll have less than a week before we take Twin1 to school…the time is flying by! I hope that everyone will have a relaxing weekend in the midst of the chaos of college packing…</p>
<p>ACM…LOL!!! No offense whatsoever; I got a smile out of the metaphor. I sometimes find myself telling my kids when they’re acting inappropriately, “You and I are about to have a come to Jesus meeting!” They know when they hear those words come out of my mouth, I mean serious business! :)</p>
<p>D’s done!!! Her room has been thoroughly cleaned! She managed to fill up 3 lawn size trash sacks and one 6 cu ft box for Goodwill! My nasty words yesterday morning resulted in her locking herself in her room/bathroom all day. I apologized for over-reacting; however, in seeing what was accomplished as a result…maybe…??? 
Next step, pack what she wants to take. She has to be there in 14 days!!! :(</p>
<p>Which is the first of our kids to actually leave home for college?</p>
<p>TwinMama: Enjoy your family vacay!! :)</p>
<p>jc40: YAY for the room being cleaned! I’m hoping for that goal to be achieved some time before D has to pack!</p>
<p>H just went to rent a LARGE SUV for our trip to take D to school. He took our SUV so they would know it had to be MUCH bigger! (after he began to rent online). We chose to do a one car trip, rather than driving in our two cars. We all want to be together for the trip down and I know I don’t want to be driving back alone after taking D to college…I feel like time will be shorter and sighs will be longer over the next few weeks.</p>
<p>zooser: I don’t know the answer to that…yet…I always love your thought provoking comments. ;)</p>
<p>Just dropped D off at her BF’s for their camping trip with a dozen friends. She packed her clothes in the backpack she used for school from 5th - 8th grades, a blue tie-dye backpack from LL Bean. She must have found it in the back of her closet. Before I dropped her off, at her suggestion she and I went to lunch at a local diner-ish place. They had paper placemats, she immediately turned hers over and began doing the maze and find-a-words on the “Kids’ Page” on the back. AND there was a space to play Hangman… when our kids were little I always brought paper and pens to restaurants, and the kids drew and played Hangman while we waited for our food. So today D and I played Hangman while we waited for our food. It was fun.</p>
<p>Yep, she’s definitely humoring me.</p>
<p>First to leave is mine (I think!) Roll Tide!</p>
<p>Son leaves next Friday for Sat. 4pm check-in. We’re all packed for the most part, maybe 1/2 day for him for his personal room things (clock, computer, HABA etc.)</p>
<p>Looks like way too much stuff but with kitchen, bathroom etc. to keep up with I think it’s all necessary.</p>
<p>I am calm although I think I could throw up! ;)</p>
<p>RobD one day behind us! Knowing the kids have met and are FB friends, even though they may not run into each other right away, still makes a difference! :)</p>
<p>zooser - We leave the house on August 10. Dorm move-in and welcome week activities start on August 14 :)</p>
<p>Cross posted with AL34. Looks like you and then RobD have us beat!!</p>
<p>We’ve made in getting S’s things together. I’m waiting on a check from his grandparents to buy his computer, a fridge and a microwave. After that, it’s just basically odds and ends …</p>
<p>DS leaves on August 16. Camp Texas is 8/17-8/19, then DH will fly down to help him move in on the 20th.</p>
<p>We went to the beach yesterday with the wife of our new pastor and their two younger boys. She had to leave the oldest back in California, where he will start college soon. She said after they said goodbye, her husband drove and she bawled for 45 minutes straight! I told her at least we’ll be in the same boat, with oldest sons across country!</p>
<p>DS was supposed to mow SOME of the lawn today. DH told him that his brother wold finish it up, and then next week, DS would have to mow the part he DIDN’T do today. So he decided to mow the entire lawn! No small feat. I stood at the window and watched my young man mowing. It may be the last time. Ack, stop that!!</p>
<p>Welcome footballmom! Sounds like you are in good shape with getting your S’s things together.</p>
<p>ML: Hang in there!!</p>
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I’m just nosy!</p>
<p>So we have to start gearing up to give extra support as each child leaves.</p>
<p>^Count me in!..It’s one of the things I like to do best…</p>
<p>^Could use some support NOW…D is scheduled to have her wisdom teeth removed tomorrow morning!</p>