I know it has been a little while since I last posted. I apologize. It has been a very busy few weeks.
The time has finally come. It is official. He is grown. OUR YOUNGEST CHILD IS GROWN. It was time to move him into the dorm at Arizona State University where he will be studying Physics. I flew from Ohio back to Arizona. I decided to go a week ahead so that I had time to visit with friends and family, and buy the things he needed for his dorm room. I arrived late on Sunday night, exhausted after being held up because of weather delays. After deplaning at my destination in Phoenix, I trudged with the masses to the baggage claim area and anxiously awaited my bag. My son had picked up my car from the garage where it was being stored and was to pick me up in it so that I would have a car while in town. I let him know that I was getting my bags and would be ready soon……WRONG….. My luggage is usually easy to find. I have two suitcases that I fly with. One is a fake snakeskin type bag and the other is a bright electric blue. The blue one is what I brought this time. Easy to find right? As I waited and waited I finally saw my large, overstuffed blue bag coming around the circle. I grabbed it and was about to walk away when I noticed the tag on the bag. This was not mine. I quickly put it back and waited. I soon realized that the owner of this blue bag must’ve taken my bag by mistake and they were long gone. So over to the help desk I went, only to stand in a very long line of people. Finally, I gave my information. They tried to call the owner of the other blue bag to let her know she had the wrong bag (voicemail) and I was sent on my way with the assurance they would get my stuff back. I left the airport and made my way to my friends house where I would be staying after stopping at a store to buy new contact lens supplies and a few other toiletries. By this time it was around 2 am.
I did get my bag back the next afternoon and had all of my things. I attended the funeral of a sweet friend on Tuesday and picked up my grandson and daughter on Wednesday morning for a few days at the Arizona Grand Hotel. They have a fun water park area that is nice to relax in. My son joined us and it was like old times. The only person missing was my husband. Everyone went back to their regular lives on Friday and I prepared to move my son into his dorm on Saturday afternoon. We were supposed to be there between 1130 and noon.
My son called me Saturday morning to tell me that the college had called and let him know that the AC had gone out on the dorm he was originally assigned to and that he would be moving into another dorm. He could choose to stay in the new room or move back to the old one when the AC is fixed. This put a crimp in my plans. I knew the layout of the old dorm room and had an idea of the things he would need, this room I knew nothing about.
I met him at ASU and we proceeded to start the process of moving in. All of a sudden I had emotions creeping up on me that I was not prepared for. He got his meningitis shot, the keys to his dorm room and all of the goodies they were handing out to the new students.
His friend, Ryan, joined us to help move him in. As we were moving the few things in that we had and started organizing, I suddenly burst into tears. This continued all day. I couldn’t help it. I would cry and then stop and then start again. I couldn’t control it. My poor son didn’t know what to do so he just hugged me and patted my head….lol…
We made a list of what else we would need and headed to Target. I think we bought the store out.
I finally got him all settled and left to meet friends for dinner. I cried the whole way. It was so much worse than I was prepared for. After all, I had been away from him all summer. I had moved kids into college far away from me before. These emotions snuck up on me. I think maybe because he is the baby and only boy. I never truely thought of him as being grown until now. He was always my little boy. I am so proud of him!
The Road and The Nestless 