περιπλάνηση: 8-18-11 The Last Day Here, the First Day There

Yesterday morning was Nick's "last day home" before starting his new life at college, so of course I was happy to spoil him with food. Breakfast on the deck (with the moon) was chocolate chip pancakes.

Lunch was a large sandwich from Schlotschky's. That face is indicative of the mood. Nick decided he didn't want to leave.

and for dinner, by Nick's request, were burgers on the grill.

and the last day, was followed by the first . . . funny how that works.

I was the first up, staring out at the dark and thinking about how time can stand so still and rush past us all at the same moment.

And within minutes, light filled the space and I was glad to be alive, so honored by the man my son has and continues to become, so hopeful that this day marks the beginning of new adventures, experiences, and joys for all of us.

Nick says goodbye to Evan, although the joke around the house is Evan is my replacement Nick in a lot of ways, so he will be getting extra doses of love and affection in Nick's absence.

And we take one last picture "at home" together before beginning the drive to his new home. He'll be back so many weekends, we'll skype, and facebook, but this is the end of an era. From now on, coming home will always be temporary, and eventually he will make his new home for himself and probably his own family.

I don't expect that to happen until he ditches these absurd flat billed hats, though, so I think I'm safe for awhile.

There were only a few moments during the day that I felt that wave of emotion, you know the one -- it starts from behind you and kind of encircles you from the back of your head up to the front of your eyes and suddenly you've welled up with tears? The first one happened while I watched Nick reach over at a stop light and grab one of the Krispy Kreme donuts out of the box. I always love how perfectly odd the moments turn out to be when they hit. But I suddenly was back in his Mother Goose pre-school, watching him with his little hands crossed behind his back in his Batman costume trying to take a bit out of a donut dangling from the ceiling where we had strung them up for his Halloween party.

By 8:30 we had arrived. This is Wiebking Hall, Nick's dorm.

JoMo, who I am actually going to have to start calling John now, I think, checks in while Nick runs back to his car where he left his wallet. Am I actually leaving him alone here?

Woo-hoo! First floor means easy move-in!

The front student lounge of Wiebking

And I get a kick out of the fact that he's "Nicholas" again here.

This is their room's view:

First order of business: bunk the beds so the ever important futon and TV & Xbox can fit into the room.

Bob assembles the TV stand

I had this silly notion we would be organizing the room before we left. I was quickly told this would most certainly NOT be happening, but that Nick would take a picture of it for me once the work was completed. I'm thinking I may get that picture some time in December, right before we have to move all of this stuff out for a month and then move it back in again. This is as good as it got. I did managed to make his bad and get all of his clothes in the wardrobe, so I can expect a call by tonight asking me where something is.