Empty Nest Syndrome

[goofy4tink]

Our dd leaves on the 24th, so we move her down to RI, then return the next day for Convocation...at least we get to ease into it. She's only 1.5 hrs away. I do remember driving my ds home for a weekend, from college, 19 years ago..told him I was 'expecting'. So, I know, full well, what my feelings are going to be next week. But in all reality??? It's still going to be hard to drive away on the 25th!!!
Dd has been gone for a month, working at camp, so home for 10 days and then off to college.
We had to say goodbye to our 12 y/o golden retriever just before she left for camp in mid-July. Add to that the lung cancer diagnosis that dh's mother got right after Memorial Day weekend, and the fact that she is going downhill rapidly and won't see Labor Day??? Man, this has been the summer from 'you know where'.
I had a Dec WDW trip planned, but cancelled it and rented out my points since tuition was going to be so high. Then, dh told me to rebook it....that I needed something to look forward to. So, used more points and rebooked. At least I have that to look forward to .
Man, this is going to be a tough end of summer 2012!!!!
Good luck to all of you other 'empty-nesters' out there!!!

 

[WDWBarb]

Kleenex alert!
This clip from the Andy Griffith Show episode "Opie the Birdman" was shown at our church on Sunday morning. It's bound to make some of you cry, but hopefully make you feel better, too. It's a great scene with a sweet message:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BMjtwp8n6A

Wow. Yes, this tore me up, but I needed to see it. Thank you for sharing.

 

[goofy4tink]

Kleenex alert!
This clip from the Andy Griffith Show episode "Opie the Birdman" was shown at our church on Sunday morning. It's bound to make some of you cry, but hopefully make you feel better, too. It's a great scene with a sweet message:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BMjtwp8n6A

Thanks buddy!! Yes, it made me tear up. But the message is so timely and true. My job description will change as of next week....guess I had best get ready for that change!!!!
See you in December!!!

 

[leebee]

Our dd leaves on the 24th, so we move her down to RI, then return the next day for Convocation...

Where in RI will she be going (if you don't mind answering). My DD is considering transferring to Roger Williams; in fact, we are headed down tomorrow to tour the campus. Sorry to hear you are having such a crappy year.

 

[luvgoing2disney]

The weekend after the death of Andy Griffith, TVLand had a marathon of The Adny Griffith Show, an it aired "Opie, The Birdman" (one of my favorites of the series. My DW and I were watching and knowing what was coming in a few weeks, it was MIGHTY quiet at the end of that show.

We are doing better today. It really helped that, as many wrote would probably happen, our son came over last night for a little while, including raiidng the refrigerator, which is OK by me. It's still very quiet in the house but today is better than the last two days. It's just going to take time.

 

[goofy4tink]

Where in RI will she be going (if you don't mind answering). My DD is considering transferring to Roger Williams; in fact, we are headed down tomorrow to tour the campus. Sorry to hear you are having such a crappy year.

Roger Williams!!! It was the only school she lit up on during the tour!!! And it wasn't even one she had thought of. I suggested it to her. She moaned and groaned about it..."Mom, I have never heard of this school....why do I have to go see it????'' Yeah, well she moves in next week and is thrilled about it!!
And the really funny thing??? We knew no one who had gone there. But, now that dd is going there??? We are always running into people who either went there, their kids went there or someone they know went there...and every single person, except one, has had nothing but good things to say about it!!!

The people at RWU have been wonderful to work with. In fact, just got an email from RWU yesterday. It seems that an alumni family (both graduates back in early '90's) are hosting a get-together for area families and their kids that are heading to RWU as freshman. And there will be people from RWU there to answer those last minute questions. Who would have thunk it!!

I hope you guys enjoy the college tour. It's a beautiful area!!! And the actual campus is to die for. Dd will be in Cedar..one of two similar dorm buildings.
Let me know if you have any questions and I'll try to answer them for you.
What's your dd's major??

 

[Buckalew11]

Kleenex alert!
This clip from the Andy Griffith Show episode "Opie the Birdman" was shown at our church on Sunday morning. It's bound to make some of you cry, but hopefully make you feel better, too. It's a great scene with a sweet message:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BMjtwp8n6A

This is one of my favorite, favorite episodes. Very timely indeed. Thanks!

 

[mickeysgal]

This is one of my favorite, favorite episodes. Very timely indeed. Thanks!

Indeed, and a real tear jerker to boot.

 

[pat fan]

If you want a tearjerker scenario, we went to the theater to see Toy Story 3 when our youngest was graduating HS and already had a plan to move out.

Yeah, my DH said, "We're staying through the credits until I can get it together" and I said "Pass the napkins, I need them too!" We were such a mess, and DS was like, "What's wrong with you two??"

 

[luvgoing2disney]

If you want a tearjerker scenario, we went to the theater to see Toy Story 3 when our youngest was graduating HS and already had a plan to move out.

Yeah, my DH said, "We're staying through the credits until I can get it together" and I said "Pass the napkins, I need them too!" We were such a mess, and DS was like, "What's wrong with you two??"

Yep, same reaction here. Our son "grew up" with Andy as Toy Story 1 was the first move he ever went to see. That last scene in TS3 still gets to me!

 

[NCRedding]

Yep, same reaction here. Our son "grew up" with Andy as Toy Story 1 was the first move he ever went to see. That last scene in TS3 still gets to me!

I watched TS3 with my DD who was graduating and my dad who started sniffing too. By the time it was over, I was a mess. Then, the day we moved DD to college, I had another TS3 moment when I went back in to check to make sure we hadn't forgotten anything in her room, and it was so empty there was an echo.

 

[leebee]

Roger Williams!!! It was the only school she lit up on during the tour!!! And it wasn't even one she had thought of. I suggested it to her. She moaned and groaned about it..."Mom, I have never heard of this school....why do I have to go see it????'' Yeah, well she moves in next week and is thrilled about it!!
And the really funny thing??? We knew no one who had gone there. But, now that dd is going there??? We are always running into people who either went there, their kids went there or someone they know went there...and every single person, except one, has had nothing but good things to say about it!!!

The people at RWU have been wonderful to work with. In fact, just got an email from RWU yesterday. It seems that an alumni family (both graduates back in early '90's) are hosting a get-together for area families and their kids that are heading to RWU as freshman. And there will be people from RWU there to answer those last minute questions. Who would have thunk it!!

I hope you guys enjoy the college tour. It's a beautiful area!!! And the actual campus is to die for. Dd will be in Cedar..one of two similar dorm buildings.
Let me know if you have any questions and I'll try to answer them for you.
What's your dd's major??

(Whistling "It's a small world after all...")

DD has finished her first year at UMaine as an english major with minors in 2ndary ed and dance. Her first love is dance, but it's not a major here. She ended up at UMaine because she wasn't sure what she wanted (heck, she wasn't ready to go to college and knew it) and either applied to schools that were out of her reach (even with a 2000 SAT combined score and graduating 5th in her class) or just didn't get enough aid, so UMaine it was (literally 5 mins from the house). Her HUGE problem with this is the lack of dance. The few faculty at the University are the same folks she's been dancing for since the age of 8. She is ready to move up and out. A former dance buddy just graduated from RWU with a dance major and absolutely RAVES about the place, the program, etc. DD has a boyfriend here so is a little hesitant about transferring (Sept 2013) but realizes that if she wants to follow her dreams she HAS to get out of Maine. At RWU, she'd most likely be a dance major with either a double major or minor in English/creative writing. She knows that she won't dance forever, but NOW is the time if she's going to give it a shot. She's done summer programs with Complexions, Rockettes, Joffrey, Boston, so there's some talent there, so she is going to give it a try.

I hope she likes RWU. I REALLY want her to be happy, and I know that here at UMaine, even with friends and a boyfriend, she feels she's missing out on something. I think RWU might fill that niche... and the university where DH is on faculty has a tuition agreement with RWU, so DD could go there tuition-free!! I'll let you know how it goes.

(hmmm... talk about hijacking a thread, but it's with a moderator, right?)

 

[goofy4tink]

(Whistling "It's a small world after all...")

DD has finished her first year at UMaine as an english major with minors in 2ndary ed and dance. Her first love is dance, but it's not a major here. She ended up at UMaine because she wasn't sure what she wanted (heck, she wasn't ready to go to college and knew it) and either applied to schools that were out of her reach (even with a 2000 SAT combined score and graduating 5th in her class) or just didn't get enough aid, so UMaine it was (literally 5 mins from the house). Her HUGE problem with this is the lack of dance. The few faculty at the University are the same folks she's been dancing for since the age of 8. She is ready to move up and out. A former dance buddy just graduated from RWU with a dance major and absolutely RAVES about the place, the program, etc. DD has a boyfriend here so is a little hesitant about transferring (Sept 2013) but realizes that if she wants to follow her dreams she HAS to get out of Maine. At RWU, she'd most likely be a dance major with either a double major or minor in English/creative writing. She knows that she won't dance forever, but NOW is the time if she's going to give it a shot. She's done summer programs with Complexions, Rockettes, Joffrey, Boston, so there's some talent there, so she is going to give it a try.

I hope she likes RWU. I REALLY want her to be happy, and I know that here at UMaine, even with friends and a boyfriend, she feels she's missing out on something. I think RWU might fill that niche... and the university where DH is on faculty has a tuition agreement with RWU, so DD could go there tuition-free!! I'll let you know how it goes.

(hmmm... talk about hijacking a thread, but it's with a moderator, right?)

Not really hijacking!!!! Anyway...RWU has a terrific dance program!!! Dd dances, but not at that level!! But, she will take some dance classes there. There is a really talented dancer from dd's dance studio that is a dance major at RWU...she is evidently loving it there.
Hope your dd likes it there...and to get tuition free??? Oh yeah!!!!!! What a good thing that would be!!!

 

[KristaTX]

Diane & leebee - It sounds like you need to make sure your kids meet!

 

[goofy4tink]

Diane & leebee - It sounds like you need to make sure your kids meet!

Always good to meet new people...especially when the parents are so like-minded Krista!!!