College Move in Day

I admit, I have to post more because I am usually a few weeks behind and have to trust my memory to recall all the details. From this day forward I commit to posting at least once a week! (we only hope)

anyway move in day... Monday August 17th! Andrea had an appointment that morning and after that we headed home to continue to pack. Yes I said continue, although she had started packing maybe a week or few days before. Never mind that I had been telling her ALL SUMMER long to start washing her clothes, and organizing things that she wanted to take...
Anyway, we got home from the appointment and started loading my Milan. Mind you, it's a Milan, a medium sized car. Now if the gas hadn't risen to about $4.00 last year, we would have had the luxury of my Ford Freestar van. But when gas prices hit $3.75 I said that I was downsizing to a car. Now let me tell you how that happened.

I worked in Independence and there was a Lincoln Mercury dealership down the street where I took my Freestar in for service. I went to there during lunch on May 8th or 9th to make an appointment for my service. I made the appointment and then thought "mmm... I wonder if the man is here that I spoke to last November regarding trading my van in. Now mind you I really loved my Freestar. It was a 2006, Dark Toreador Red Metallic, with a tan interior. It had a spoiler and a luggage rack, and I bought it brand spanking new. One of maybe three in life that I was able to pick the colors and features. Not that I needed a van with two teenagers at home, but my thinking was this: I was a real estate agent and I wanted to start my bridal boutique business so I could use the van to carry around buyers, and to haul gowns and wedding accessories in.. Sounded good to me at the time. I called it my Dark Red Chariot!

By this time the gas prices just kept going up, and up. It took at least $50 to fill it to half a tank. I was not selling any houses, and when I did meet buyers they drove their own cars. Further, I hadn't started my bridal boutique, so I decided that once gas hit $3.75 I was downsizing.
That day I went out to lunch and traded my car in for a Milan! It is a beauty, dark ink blue and in the sun it has a pearlensce finish. Another thing I like about the color is that it looks black too. the interior is black, so I don't have to worry about it getting dirty like the tan interior on my Dark Red Chariot. It gets good gas mileage also and I can fill it up on the $50 that I could only get 1/2 tank of gas with my Chariot.

Ok, where am I? back to move in day.. I was wishing that I had my Chariot for all of my daughter's stuff... We got just about everything packed into my Milan, except for her desktop computer, and a bulletin board. Mind you she has a laptop, but wanted to take the desktop for all of her music she has stored on it. The IPod doesn't hold all of it! Now when did she get to the point that we need to have all of this music? She told me how many songs there were, and I know that she can't be listening to them all at once!

So we packed the car and took off. On the way I stopped by my former job, which was on the way so that my coworker and friend Nicole, who is a MU alum, can meet and give my daughter some advice, from one MU grad to a freshman. We were supposed to get together earlier this summer but I guess our schedules and lives got too busy. We then headed to campus.
Nicole had given us some different directions from what we had and it was a straight shot, missed the cornfields and everything.

Since Andrea was a part of the early arrival group, which moved in on Sunday, (some moved in on Tuesday, and the rest of the students on Thursday) she was the only one moving into her dorm. We got there, picked up her key and went to her dorm. Of course it wouldn't work! So we called her advisor and she sent someone over to check. He told the RA to get the extra key and that one worked. Did I tell you that she got a single room? No kidding... when she applied for one I told her that freshmen most likely don't get a single room. but she did! her room is just about as big as the one at home! It's longer and not as wide but I would guess the area is about the same... the closet is huge, a walk in with shelves on top...It has high ceilings too. wow! talk about home away from home. We did order her a refrigerator...
We unloaded the car and put everything on the huge porch and in the hall. then we had to haul all of that stuff up two flights to her room, which was all the way down the hall at the end...
whew... lots of stuff, containers of stuff, bags of clothes, shoes (mostly stilettos and high heels)

We finally got all the stuff hauled in, and started putting some of it away. by this time it's around 8:30 9 pm (we got there around 7 something). So we head off to BW3's uptown to get something to eat. We take our food back to her room and eat, and then put away more things. She has gotten all of her posters up, which she had covering her walls back home. She really has a nice room. I think we worked on the computers and then tried to fit in her extra long twin bed! Mind you you would think that she would say "Mom you take the bed, since you packed me up and drove me 4 1/2 hours down, and you have to drive back tomorrow, I'll take the floor." But no, she let me try and fit at the bottom and most of the time I was on the hard floor!
So thankful!
the next morning we got up and found the Wal Mart to buy more stuff that she needed! Can you imagine more stuff! Later I had a parent's orientation. At the orientation they told us parents that we could stay over if we wanted. Originally we were supposed to be gone by 6, that is when the students had a get acquainted banquet. I asked her if she wanted me to stay over, and she shook her head 'no'! NO! I hadn't really slept all night, been to Walmart spending more money and could really use a good night sleep, she says NO!
Well I took her to the building where the banquet was and walked her to the banquet (she had said I can walk her up there when we got to the building). A student helper came up to us when we got the the door and asked was I having a hard time leaving her. I said a little. I then had her take our picture and then hugged her and headed home. Mind you this was a little after 6 pm in the evening, and I am not a night driver... but I figure by the time nightfall came I would be close too home.
I guess this is where I would admit, I was a little sad leaving her, and I teared up just a little...
I also was thinking that I would not advise anyone taking their children or should I say young adults to school to do it alone. Her dad is in Mississippi, so I guess he couldn't make it back up, which to me is no excuse. He knew for months where she was going to school and should have made the effort to at least meet us there. I asked my husband, just so that he couldn't say that I didn't offer, but he said no.. He and my children never developed a relationship in the almost 10 years that we have been together (we dated for 3, and been married for almost 7). He says it's my fault. whatever! A total waste of my time and energy if you asked me. (That's another blog)
Anyway, parents if you are married or divorce please see that you make the time to take your child to college. Mothers if you are single take someone with you a friend, sister, someone.
This is something that no one should have to do alone.

I've got to go.. my friend just informed me that her friend and former fiance just passed. He has been battling a brain cancer for about two years. Please keep the family and friends of Carlos Davis in your prayers.. May He rest in The Lord's Presence.