All In A Weeks Time

Well, this has been one of the most interesting weeks I have had in a long time.  SO many different things have happened.  Everyday I had intentions of writing, but would find myself coming home from work, eating dinner and falling asleep instantly on the sofa.  I think emotionally, I have just been drained and need to catch up on some mental rest. 

I live in Virginia, and last week we had the first EARTHQUAKE I ever remember.  I was at work, in an exam room with a patient, when we suddenly heard the door shaking in the door frame and then the floor start to shake.  We both looked at each other to make sure we weren't losing our minds.  Sure enough, there had been an earthquake which measured 5.8  Nothing big compared to what most earthquakes are, but for us East Coasters who aren't use to them, it was HUGE.  No damage was done to us, and where my parents live, which is about 34 miles from where the epicenter was, they only had a few things fall off of some shelves.  My 18 year old, being the Natural Disaster lover that he is, thought it was awesome.  Not that he wants any harm to come to anyone or anything, he is just amazed at Mother Nature's ability. 

So we manage the earthquake no problem, next comes my Emotinal Earthquake, moving my son into college.  I had posted earlier that I was pretty sure I would do okay with this, and for the most part I did on the day of the actual move.  It has been the days since then that I have had the most trouble.  I am use to talking to Reed everyday.  Now, it's no longer acceptable to call him everyday.  "I am in college now mom, you don't need to check on me everyday."  EXCUSE ME, but yes I do.  It is exactly because you are in college that I feel the NEED to check on you everyday.  And it's not that I think he needs to be checked on, but I am SO excited for him being in college, I want to know about every little thing he does all day.  How his classes were, what does he think about college food, how loud is his dorm hall, are his professors cool, is it weird being in a class with 90 or more other people, etc.  But, he doesn't get it and I guess I didn't get it either when I went away to college.  I know I didn't call my mom and dad as much as they wanted me to, and I did call my boyfriend, who was going to a different college much more often than they wanted me to.  See we didn't have cell phones back then, so my long distant phone bills went straight to my mom and dad's house for them to pay.  Looking back, that was really a bad thing.



Reed trying to find a place for all of his belongings in his very tiny room for 3


I didn't cry when I left Reed's room, but I did get a little teary eyed walking back to our car.  My hubby had to make me leave Reed's room, as I was busying myself with setting his drawers up, putting things away in his desk.  Basically stalling so I didn't have to leave.  Finally, Robby made it clear that this was Reed's room and I needed to let HIM set up HIS room the way he wanted it.  His roomates parents had already left, and alas, it was my time to leave too.  So I did.  I left Reed with a pretty decent supply of snack foods and goodies, maybe too good of a supply.  For I figure when he runs out of those goodies, I am guaranteed a phone call asking for more, and that is just perfectly fine with me:)  But with the amount I left behind, I may be waiting a bit for that phone call.  NOTE TO SELF...next care package, only pack enough for one week at a time!!!



It's time for me to leave him behind and to begin this chapter on his own.
Can you tell I am just SLIGHTLY PROUD of my Reed?


So, we get home from moving Reed in, and hurricane Irene begins her attack on the East Coast.  The weekend is filled with rain and winds.  That is about all we had to endure, but again, my parents had is a little, or a lot actually, worse.  They lost their electricity  last Saturday at 1:00 in the afternoon, and as of this writing, Wednesday 8:14 pm, they still don't have power.   My mom and dad are such troopers though, and have managed very well.  I hope when I reach 80, I am able to be half of the survivors that they are.  Until a day ago, they didn't have a generator so they defrosted all  of their meat in the freezer, grilled it and wrapped it up and placed it in coolers to eat throughout the week.  My amazing cousin from the Va. Beach area, drove up with a small generator for them to use, and they have been able to plug in one or two things now.  I call to check on them everyday to make sure they are okay and never once do they really complain about how things are.  My dad has to go to dialysis for his kidneys 3 times a week and luckily, the dialysis center has a huge generator so that patients are able to come in for their treatments so I haven't had to worry about him not getting his treatments.  NEWS FLASH>>>>>>> It is now 8:22 pm and my daddy just called to say they just got their power back.  I am not sure I have ever heard him sound so happy!!!!! 



My amazing mom and dad.  They will kill me if they find out I put this picture up.
They HATE having their picture taken.


So between my emotional highs and lows of parenting and letting my children grow up, Mother Nature bringing earthquakes and hurricanes to the area and work being a little extra challenging this week it has been an extra exciting past week.  I am ready for everything to calm down, including my emotions.  I just need to realize my babies aren't really babies anymore.  And I need to be happy for them that they are growing and finding their way in life.  My 2 youngest are a freshman and a junior in high school, so i really need to let them grow up, but it is so hard.  Boys I guess naturally become less dependent on their moms for daily needs as they grow older.  But at the same time, I feel their love all the time and know that they love their mama with all their heart.  I am proud of them for the men they are growing up to be. I always wanted 4 children, but never dreamed I would be blessed with such 4 amazing sons.