<p>The first one is such a relief - hope the happy news continues!</p>
<p>Congratulations to zoosergirl!</p>
<p>Thank you all so much (again!). Over the last couple of months Zoosergirl has just amazed me with how much she's grown and matured. She juggles an incredibly complicated schedule quite well, and as far as the college choice, she has been saying repeatedly for a couple of weeks now that if Plattsburgh will have her in the five-year program, that's where she's going. Joyfully. She doesn't want to have to apply for the master's separately or wonder where she's going to be accepted, and she likes what we have started to call the "minimal debt/maximum choice option" for starting out her adult life. She's making pretty good money right now for a high school student and plans to help out with some of the associated college costs. She's actually saving for a laptop, but the grandparents are giving that to her for graduation, so she may go off to college with a nice bank account to fall back on until she gets a job at college.</p>
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<p>As to the first quote , you will continue to be amazed at the process. It goes even faster from here on in. That child you could not see living your home, much less your town or (for some) your state will mature so much between now and arriving at school Day One. </p>
<p>As to quote Two - see what I mean? ;) She sounds like she is fully involved in her future. That happened at my house , too and I'm still stunned.</p>
<p>Curmudgeon, how did this happen? When did she grow up? I'm so excited for her, but I've been crying since the first acceptance letter arrived. Which was also the same day that the graduation pictures arrived. I was expecting pictures of my baby girl and I opened the envelope to find pictures of some strange woman. Beautiful to be sure, but having nothing to do with my baby. I love all of my kids with my whole heart, but this one has always been the sweetest, most sensible person I've ever met. I feel like King Triton in Disney's The Little Mermaid! So Curm, when does the sadness pass and the joy and pride remain?</p>
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Now why in God's name would someone ask ME that question? ;)</p>
<p>From what I can tell so far, it gets marginally easier when you die.</p>
<p>I felt just the same way almost a year ago. A big congratulations to you on the acceptances - it's wonderful news! All the best to you and your family in the year ahead!</p>
<p>Wow, zoosermom, congrats to your D! She sounds so mature to be thinking about a combined BA/MA program. Best of luck to her in making her future choices! (And isn't it nice to have planned so well and have choices!)</p>
<p>Plattsburgh in New York? On Lake Champlain?</p>
<p>StickerShock, yeah, that's the one. She wants to do the five-year master's and it's pretty much the only one we found in her chosen field. Do you know anything about the school?</p>
<p>ZM, walking away from D at drop-off was one of the sadder moments of my life, requiring two glasses of wine and a good novel as anesthetic. </p>
<p>However, as I've started to preach within the last year, letting them off at college is not the end of the book, it's just a new chapter. There are new adventures, new activities, new goals...and this time around you don't have to do the chauferring! (And in my case I find that now I'm either being asked for advice on some things or that D is already ahead of me when she brings a subject up...she asked me to schedule a visit next year around GRE's and LSAT dates...could have knocked me over with a feather.)</p>
<p>You also build up tolerance to absence. We haven't seen D for nearly 5-1/2 months...and are <em>really</em> looking forward to having her home.</p>
<p>Now, if you want to talk about disturbances in the Force, one of D's best friends from high school has just gotten engaged.</p>
<p>If she can schedule "absences" in the right places, you can get a chance to travel! ;)</p>
<p>Congrats! (whew, I know what a relief it is.)</p>