The other day, Matthew, Noah and I were waiting for Grace and Cheryl to come out of Target. As we waited, and waited... and waited... Matthew commented that he really thought that Gracie was ready to go off to college.
This made me feel proud of Grace as she is growing up to be a responsible adult... proud of Matthew for recognizing Gracie's evolution... and proud of Cheryl and myself for raising such a good person who was ready to take on a new challenge.
I should have just left it at that, but I opened my big mouth in order to confirm that this was exactly what Matthew meant when he made his keen observation.
So, you think she is ready to take on a new phase in her life, do you?
No, I mean that she is ready to get away from us!
By us, do you mean Mom and me?
Well, yeah... kinda!
Ouch.
We leave today to take Gracie to college. Can you believe that? I am old enough to have a kid in college?
Gracie and I have had the opportunity to spend a little extra time together this week. I have tried to convince her that the Community College is still the way to go, and it is not too late to change her mind. She just smiles, nods, and tells me that she is not going to change her mind.
I wish you had never been home schooled.
Why?
Because then you wouldn't have gotten tired of being around Mom all the time, and you would want to go to the Community College and continue to live with us... and by us, I mean me!
As always, I blame Cheryl. Not just for home schooling her but for being excited about this "great opportunity" that Grace has.
Cheryl... college is the worst preparation for life that has ever been invented. What other time in your life are you only accountable for about three hours a day. You get to hang out with your friends all day, every day. You get a week or two off every forty days or so, and you get every summer off! You don't even use 85% of what you learn. Most college classes are like the metric system... you learn it for no plausible reason. Why would anyone ever want to quit going to college and join the real world?
College is just part of a process. You gain knowledge, whether you use it or not. And it's not just job training. You develop into a whole person... a wise citizen. You learn to be a critical thinker.
Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah! Please, just, please, one time... can you just be on my team and try to make her feel guilty about leaving me and going off to go to college... please... just once!
I must admit that the fact that Gracie is leaving me had not really sunk in until someone pointed out that this could be the last time that Grace lives full time in my house. She is going to go to college and return during her breaks and her summers, yes, but after four years, she may just get a job and live on her own.
I am assuming that by "on her own" means someplace other than with me!
Think about that. Grace may never live with me again for the rest of her life. Unless, of course, she marries some idiot with baggy pants hanging down around his rear end, a flat brimmed baseball cap cocked sideways with ear rings and tattoos all over his body... who cannot find a job... so they move in with me... and tell me how awful my political views are... all while eating my food and drinking my beer!
Uh... uh hey Mr. P... should I call you Mr. P or can I call you Dad?
Please don't call me anything. Do what I do to my in-laws: address me only after you have made eye contact.
Uh, okay, sure, uh... I think that the Occupy Wall Street Movement was aaaawesome. Fat cats should give back to people like me... who can't find a job doing what I love... Skateboarding! Hey, are you going to eat that roll?
I know I just made this guy up... but I hate him!
As stupid as this sounds, in the last two paragraphs I just created a fictional husband for my daughter ... and I hate him with every fiber of my being! Just the thought of this idiot has raised my blood pressure!
Please say a prayer for me.
Anyway, we are very proud of our beautiful little girl.
I remember her first days of preschool and how hard it was for me to drop her off and leave her as she cried and cried. Here is a little secret that I have never shared with anyone before...I cried too. I hated making that long drive into work knowing that she was not happy. Eventually, she stopped crying and my drive into work got a lot shorter.
Here is another little secret... Matthew is correct when he said that Gracie was ready to go away to college... but not because she is tired of Cheryl (or me). In fact, Gracie has told us that she loves being around us and appreciates all that we do. She enjoys her brothers and is a great big sister. The best sound in our house is when Cheryl and I are in one room and the kids are laughing about something in another room. Probably about something Cheryl did or said.
And I'm pretty sure that when that day comes and she brings home her future husband, I will not hate him. Maybe hate him a little bit... But not with every fiber of my being... Maybe.
Everything leads to one logical... and painful conclusion. We try to give our kids all the tools they need to survive on their own and they repay us by growing up...and leaving us. College is just the first step out the door.
Grace is ready to go because it is her time. Everything in her life up until now has led her to this school at this time. I am sure that there will be some bumps along the way, but I am confident that she will do great things. It is an exciting time for all of us.
Our drive up to Mount Saint Mary's will take about ninety minutes. The drive home is going to be a lot longer. I am hoping there will be no tears... but I can't make any promises.
By the way... an aside note. Every time I reference me or my... as in she will live with "me" in "my" house... you can include Cheryl in that. I just forgot about her in all he excitement of Gracie going off to college.
No comments:
Post a Comment