Monday Morning

At some point in the day, I expect to hear from Aaron and Jenny as they are arriving back in the States from their honeymoon. It's been weird not hearing from Aaron in a week. We generally text or talk pretty much every day. It's different from when I moved away from home; first to go to school and then to...well, move away from home.

No texting. No e-mail. No Facebook. No cell phones. And to call was long distance! And if I was calling home, it was going to be long distance COLLECT! And that meant money...so it didn't happen often.

Today it only costs me the monthly fee of adding the kids' phones to my account and I can talk to them as often as they'll answer my call. I've found that they are much more likely (for whatever reason) to respond to a text message than a phone call...and I guess that's okay. Maybe it's because they have a little bit of manners and are in a place where a cell phone conversation might be inappropriate.

My cell phone plan also allows me to contact my parents on a pretty regular basis. I like that. I like keeping in touch with them and I like my kids knowing that I keep in touch with my parents, too. Maybe they'll follow suit and keep in touch with their parents!

Tomorrow is the day that we move our baby into the college dormitory! How does that happen so quickly? Hannah has been doing laundry, shopping, packing, cleaning and getting ready for the day. I know that the first few days will be very busy and full of excitement. I really don't think that Hannah will be the type to get homesick. As long as she has a good book and a quiet place, she'll be just fine. She is incredibly bright, very pretty, and fun to be with.

I do worry that she is a bit too trusting, always giving people the benefit of the doubt (whatever that means) and seeing the good in everybody. While that is true, she is still is difficult to get to know and has a pretty small circle of close friends. In any case, by the end of the week she'll be in a whole new world...and Dad will be a distant outsider. :(

Towards the end of the week, Chris and Kathi (Aaron's new mother-in-law) will be making a trip to Chicago to bring some things to the kids and exchange vehicles. That will leave me at home alone for a couple of days. I'll probably cancel my leave from work for those two days and save them for another time.

A week from today will find Chris and me in our own new world. It's all good. Just a part of growing up, right? I'm very proud of my kids. I am getting to see them grow into great adults and am looking forward to watching them impact their world.

But for now...it's time to get this week started.

John