Yeah I noticed them popping up in waitlist threads, promoting the school that the waitlist was for. Not the best use of their ad dollars I think.
For me, itās when I log in to CC. Itās happening on my phone too, so Iām pretty sure itās not related to the new laptop and something with settings but none of the pop ups even relate to me or my kids either so it would be nice to know how to turn them off! @CC_Mike
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I use an ad blocker, so the only one Iāve been seeing is a small one for CCās essay contest. (I know Iām taking ad revenue away from CC, but Iām a light user, on my last kid, so no great loss to them, Iām sure.)
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Iāve been pretty excited for D21 to go to college at Williams, but twice now when reading the schedule for move in day Iāve caught myself wanting to weep when I see 2pm: Goodbye hugs What in the heck?
Then a dad I know shared that he and his wife cried for 6 months after the last kid left. I canāt do that. Someone give me a pep talk please 
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Youāre gonna be ok. It will be ok to miss her. Take it one day at a time.
Still a lot to do now!
Plan a trip or new project, start a new hobby in the fall.
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This is what youāve been preparing your D for the last 17-18 years. She is ready. She will be attending a truly special school and she will thrive. You did what you are suppose to do. Now itās time to celebrate and watch her tackle her next phase of life. Itās all good. Yes, you will miss her but it will be okay. You donāt want her to think that you will be lost without her. That would weigh her down unnecessarily. Celebrate with her. Journal the sadness or commiserate here or with friends. We are here for you!!!
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Iām starting to get waves of sadness and weāre going up for parents weekend. PM if you want to meet for drinks at the Williams Inn on 8/30! 
It helps me to think about how I will always be her mom, and she will always be my daughter. The relationship does change, but very slowly, and in a good way. With D19, she still wants me to take care of her when she comes homeāwe are still her base camp. Although I donāt guide her the way I did when she was younger, she still wants my opinion and advice. And itās so fun to hear all about her adventures at school, and meet her friends.
With D21, I remind myself that she needs to finish growing up, so she needs more space, independence and opportunities. Itās like sheās grown as much as she can under our roof and now she needs new challenges. If I still feel sad, then I tell myself itās temporary. Sheāll be home at Thanksgiving, for a month in the winter, and next summer! When D19 comes home, itās even better than it was her senior year of high school because sheās happier and more mature and doesnāt need to fight to separate from us anymore.
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I am trying to remind myself of the same things with S21. He is already 18 and is very ready for more space, more independence and more opportunities to be able to grow. This covid year was not good for him mental health-wise being stuck at home and he canāt wait to start this next chapter of life. I havenāt had any moments of sadness so far about him leaving, but Iām sure those are coming. Currently I feel more anxious than sad: that we havenāt gotten everything he needs, that heāll oversleep and miss classes, that heāll be homesick or overwhelmed, etc. But I know that the anxious/sad/excited feelings are all part of the āletting goā process, and Iām trying to have faith that everything will work out like its supposed to. Plus, they will be back for the holidays before we know it!
I also still have one more kid at home. When its my Dās turn to leave the nest I will probably be a wreck her entire senior year!
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Well, this week starts are craziness with beginning to set up my kids at school. D19 #2 is coming home from Israel early Wed am. My husband and I are flying to NY to meet her then drive her up to Ithaca to get her apartment set up before we all fly home. She then returns on her own later on August 10 after going to some appointments, seeing friends (of course), seeing grandparents.
Then 8/6-9 we go to Austin to get D19 #1 settled into her apartment. Heat is not my friend so Iām sure it will be brutal but also the lack of masks and number of unvaccinated compared to NY is bothersome as I saw in May but we will do our best to stick to outside eateries, and masks inside.
Since I didnāt get to really do much of last year for my girls, both because of covid and recovering from surgery, Iām hoping this year will be a better start to setting up their rooms, esp after having to send the UT one on her own last year.
And then finally, my little guy, who is not so little anymore S21, goes on 8/22. He gets to move into the dorm early for a retreat heās on, which this year they canāt go to the retreat place so he gets to stay in the dorm, which is actually kind of nice. He went to overnight camp for 7 years so I donāt think he cares about missing the āretreatā place. We stay until 8/25 for various events theyāre having for parents and kids (in person!), and hopefully his roommate will at least be in town by then to possibly get together and then weāre on our way home as empty nesters. Some long drives but logistrically, very happy I am not dealing with 3 kids and 3 plane flights for thanksgiving and winter break!! My head is already spinning from multiple hotel reservations now.
The next month will be a whirlwhind for all of us. Still hoping UM goes for a full vaccine mandate. Their numbers are just not high enough still. 76% for students, but they can get higher. I heard 10 more schools mandated today, the VA mandated it today for workers and the DOJ stated it is not illegal to mandate. So I think we will see a lot more changes in the next month. We need this for these kids to have some normalcy and for life in general to return to normal and safe for all.
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Best advice I saw in a FB about the IKEA blue bags. Iām just packing one up to bring to NY tomorrow and Iām worried about how itāll fare on the plane. Also surprised those suckers can take 50lbs as theyāre much smaller than I expected but maybe because I expected them to be as big and durable as the camp duffels. Anyway, someone happened to ask can you check them in the Michigan parent group and another person responded that yes but no harm in double bagging them. I of course had basically packed it and didnāt put more stuff in (even though I could) for fear it wouldnāt make it in one piece but thought āgreat too late to double bagā. But anyway decided to try anyway as thought that was a great idea and itās also like having 2 bags there without taking any extra space up to get it there.
Well, wow took 30 seconds to just put the other bag around the packed bag and zip it up and now I can even add a few more things to the first bag. Great advice and Iām not that paranoid two bags will rip now.
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Fall bill is out: including tuition/fees, dorm/meal planā¦excuse me Iām a little verklemptā¦
Thank fully her scholarship covers all of it with 1765.00 left for books.
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I started packing S21ās stuff today. I used two jumbo vacuum bags for all his bedding, towels, curtains for the window and closet (no closet doors in his dorm), and his pillowsā¦both vacuum bags fit in perfectly in one Frakta. Second Frakta got packed with his shower shoes, shower caddy, fan, clothes hamper, desk lamp, led lights box, shoe hanger for his closet, tool kit and first aid box and other misc odds and ends. Those puppies hold a ton and are so sturdy!
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Thatās a lot for books! She wonāt need that much - can she use leftovers for anything else, like school supplies?
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Iām gonna hazard a guess that the people paying full freight are even more verklempt.
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Thatās 100% true!! Although, our first bill isnāt due until August 7, then the last two late August. I got so nervous with the market and our 529 plans that I already took my tuition money out so ready to pay but, wow, what a dent that made having 3 at once. Know you are in the same boat!
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Same, I usually pay then withdraw from the 529s. This time I withdrew up front! Itās a big chunk of change.
Yup. Full tuition for first semester at Brown due 8/1. Withdraw confirmation email received today. crying emoji We arenāt the top 5% but definitely make more than $110k and have retirement savings 
. We are the middle ground family that gets nothing.
@srparent15 Yikes. Three bills at a time is a lot of pain.
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Wow 8/1 is early. Cornell is 8/7. Iāve been trying to pay UTās for a couple weekās now because they let you charge it and my Fidelity had a special bonus this month on anything you charge through July 31 but the tuition isnāt even up yet and I want to get it done since the cash back is more than what they charge to charge tuition. MIchigan is end of August but trying to keep track is a pain. The one good thing is my ex husbandās share he pays for my twins comes off for the Fall so the biggest ouch for me is in the Spring. So now isnāt as painful as January will be for me.
@rbc2018 Yep exactly how I do it but took up front too! Lol.
We are doing a payment plan, 1st payment was June 1st.
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