We Left Our Hearts in High Point

I posted this pic when Zach graduated high school, but it still resonates

Brad and I are a study in cognitive dissonance. For the past 20 years, we’ve been preparing our boys for the big move to college. Our job was to give them roots—so they’d know where they came from, understand their values, and have a vision for where they’re going. Now, it’s time for them to soar on their own wings. And soar they have.

Dropping both of our sons off at college this week was harder than we imagined. We’re fortunate that they’re both attending the same school, just 10 minutes from my mother’s house, where they can enjoy unlimited free laundry (done for them) and home-cooked meals. We’re confident that big brother Zach will show little brother Josh the ropes. The only downside is that their school is over five hours from our house, and we already miss them terribly.

As we drive back home to Atlanta, I feel like we’ve left pieces of our hearts at High Point University. Yet, in a strange way, we’re also picking up pieces we left behind. It’s almost like waking up from a 20-year daze as we transition from one phase of our life to the next. We’ve got two big trips planned between now and December (St. Lucia and Belize), and more date nights scheduled than we can count. This coming Friday, I’m thrilled to be hosting a girls’ night out, empty-nester style, with a group of girlfriends I used to hang out with all the time before life got in the way.

I’m looking forward to getting reacquainted with the fun Rebecca (fun Brad never left), and I promise not to hover too much—though I’ll have to fight the urge since my mom’s house is so conveniently close to the boys’ school.

As you look around, I encourage you to give a hug to any parent whose children are away at school. This is hard, but we’ll get through it together.