<p>So DS, a sophomore, is back in his dorm room across the country after a brief visit home for Thankgiving and I'm finding myself feeling a bit teary. He's happy, doing well in school and will be back home in 3 weeks for Christmas vacation. First time home since March, although we did see him this summer at school fairly briefly.</p>
<p>Not a big talker and spent most of the last few days doing his schoolwork. Even so, it's amazing how much emptier the house feels without him in it. </p>
<p>Luckily have a younger DD still at home. But we're all rather subdued today...</p>
<p>I just came back from the airport after dropping daughter off and was thinking about next year when both girls will be going back to school on the Sunday after Thanksgiving, THAT will be upsetting. Not so bad this year, in fact, husband and younger daughter didn’t even come to the airport with me. She is back in 2 weeks for 3 weeks so that’s part of the ease of transition after Thanksgiving. Can’t believe she’s a Junior in college already!</p>
<p>I have one child and he’s a sophomore in college as well. He was not able to come home for Thanksgiving and I got a bit weepy the day before Thanksgiving. I’m focusing on the fact that he’ll be home in just a few weeks! And, yes, I will cry when he leaves again in January. Such is life!</p>
<p>I know it’s bad form to quote yourself, but your post so reminded me of how I was feeling one evening after spring break 2010 that I’m going to risk it. </p>
<p>My kids are 25 and 22. One will not be able to come home at all this Christmas, and I probably will not see him again for more than a year. The other will be here only on Christmas Day, perhaps for 4 or 5 hours.</p>
<p>The norm now is for them not to be here, but it still doesn’t seem normal.</p>
<p>My kid is not going to college until next year. I get teary just thinking about it! I am 46, and my mom still gets teary when we say our good-bye’s. We only see each other once a year or so.</p>
<p>Today was actually rougher than return from Fall break for my freshman…the kids are returning to school knowing that it’s work, work, work for the next few weeks with finals approaching…even my senior is yucky today to go back…</p>
<p>I’m a little blue, but it’s only a couple of weeks till they return…</p>
<p>I am still on a high from having both my kids in the same place for a while, although I only get to see my oldest a couple times a year.</p>
<p>I was trying to explain what it was like to have grown children, to my physical therapist who has a 7 yr old, cause I know when my kids were that age, I * couldn’t * imagine not knowing what they were doing, who they were with & where they were, every minute!</p>
<p>It isn’t as hard as I thought it would be, because they are such thoughtful & wise people, that for the most part I am confident about the decisions they make.
( I still worry of course)</p>
<p>Same here - finding myself quite blue today even tho DS will be home soon. Hard to have so little time with him and know his next few weeks are crammed for him. Think it’s settling in that this is the rest of our lives - that our kids drop in and out…know all for the best but still sad.</p>
<p>so grateful to have had all of mine home for several days, and we jammed some great moments into those days. I felt more myself, able to interact more as a “family” with all of us here. dropped two of three at the airport midday. happy they were all here, noticed last night a touch of fouling the nest in preparation for separating. trying to adapt to the new normal of comings and goings…and forever remind myself how blessed I am to have healthy children who are in college pursuing their dreams.</p>
<p>Just keep in mind that seeing them off to their college again may be hard, but it’s not as hard as having your son come home for the foreseeable future because of mental illness. I have to admit that I love having him home (he’ll start classes at our tiny local university this spring), but he should be spreading his wings away from home.</p>
<p>No family at all for T-day. DS is spending the long weekend with his g/f’s family. I was with my g/f and family, and other partial families. It is terrific he is getting serious with someone. I miss my parents and siblings and cousins. Life moves on.</p>
<p>I do remember hearing that after 1st year of T-day travel, many students prefer not to travel ( if flying involved). For those of you who lament a brief visit, cherish those few hours.</p>
<p>My daughter had a 9 day turkey break, but the money tree has shed all it’s bills. She has been interviewing at med schools all semester, and I have no more blood to sell. We did skype, so took a bit of the sting away.</p>
<p>My husband just left to take D to the train. She was crying as she walked out the door. She assured me that it’s just leaving that makes her cry, and she will be fine once she gets back to school. </p>
<p>I always cry when she leaves. We will be visiting her next week for a choir concert, but I know that she really loves to be home. Her own bed, her own schedule, no roommates making a lot of noise and leaving dirty dishes all over the place.</p>
<p>A different twist on this for us. D1 went to a local LAC, but lives on campus. She seemed a little sad to go back tonight. She misses home, and I’d love to have her back. BUT, I’ve got to let go and she has to venture out. Guess it’s tough on all of us.</p>
<p>Yeah, unfortunately I started to tear up before S got in the car with H to leave this morning. I really try to be all smiles and sunshine until after he is out of the driveway. I doubt this will ever change. It’s my emotions telling me I loved having him home and am sad to see him go. But it goes away rather quickly now, unlike the first week after he left to start college.</p>
<p>I remember all the years growing up and visiting my grandma on her farm and as we would drive away, she would be dabbing at her eyes. The first time I noticed, it made me really realize how much she loved seeing us. Letters and phone calls aren’t quite the same.</p>
<p>This is true and a sign of progress. Way better than the time I started bawling at the bagel shop when it was time to leave after Parents weekend fall of freshman year. Poor kid didn’t know which way to look or what he had done :)</p>
<p>MaineLonghorn: Yep, this is peanuts stuff. Just took me by surprise as I thought I’d gotten pretty good at separation. Maybe because this visit is so short…</p>