Saying "Adios" twice

Molly's dorm

Molly and her room mate as they begin to move in.

Brenna left for El Salvador last Tuesday, and I've been so sad I can't even blog about it. I believe in what she's doing so much, and I'm enormously proud that she would give up the comfort of life in the US, leave her boyfriend and spend a year trying to help others. Selfishly, she feels very far away. I think I’ll feel better if she gets steady Internet access and can write, or if she has a phone and I can call. It’s the being out of touch that hurts. Once she starts sending back great stories and blogging, I’ll be happier. At least that’s what I’m telling myself.

We’re now taking Molly to school. I am also enormously proud of her. She is calling all the shots and doing a great job. She did all the packing, and organization. She knew to arrive at 7:30 am and avoid the long lines and traffic that formed behind us. There were all kinds of students from sports teams and sororities to help us move in. We were done unpacking in a few hours. One of her room mates who arrived later said (not about Molly’s room) “Dad, make my room look like that!” Jim thinks the parents of college students are getting younger. This is a huge difference from taking Kelly to school, when WE were the younger ones. We made the requisite trip to IKEA to pick up stuff, and had lunch. Then Molly said “I’m ready to be on my own now.” And in almost every way, she is.

This picture is symbolic to me because when Molly was born, our physician, (and good friend). and Jim sat around eating Oreos while I was in labor. It seems apropos that he's eating Oreos as we cut the umbilical cord once more.