Yesterday Emily left for college. She didn't go to the other side of the country, she went to Santa Cruz. It's maybe 45 mins away, not far but far enough that she isn't here anymore. Just typing those last few words makes me cry. I honestly didn't think I would feel like this. When Elizabeth went to college, I was sad but I still had Emily.
Emily has been subconsciously preparing me for this all summer long. She always had somewhere to go every single day. She also spent hundreds of nights at Erica's house. Probably an exaggeration, but it felt like that many.
I think I can count on one hand the number of days she stayed home and didn't get in her car and drive off.
I pretty much let her do whatever she wanted this summer, within reason. I remember being 17 was just about the best time of my life and I didn't have half of the opportunities or things that she has. Or maybe I just don't remember them all now 35 years later. I'm sure she will remember every little detail of her life. Everything is so well documented now. I took 20 pictures yesterday of Emily moving into her dorm room and I know Elizabeth probably took just as many.
Here she is walking up to the check-in area of College Eight with Elizabeth and Stewart. I should have had Stewart hold her hand then I would have had a shot like the one of him taking Elizabeth to preschool ages ago.
Waiting in line to get her room assignment. Thankfully we got there early when it was still overcast and cool.
The girl in front of her is Cassie, one of her roommates.
She has her I.D. card! Even though we got there early, Emily was the last of the three roommates to get to their room. Three girls in a room only barely big enough for two. She was hoping to get the single bed.
Hurray! She got the single loft bed. Underneath is her desk and an armoire for her clothes.
It is very close quarters in there though. I hope they can work out a way to move the desks around and make more room. A very daunting task to put all that stuff into drawers that are only half as deep as they appear to be and a tiny closet.
Trying to make your bed while you are on it is not fun. I bet those sheets never get washed till she comes home on her first break.
Finally success!! Phewwww, that was hard.
Here are the new roommates: Nikole, Emily and Cassie. I hope it works out. They seem like nice girls.
The view from the hall window. College Eight quad area where we waited in line for room assignments.
Time to say good-bye. When she came to hug me, she looked like she could have cried. I know if she had I would have lost it for sure. It took all my strength to not openly bawl. I waited till I got home and looked at the pictures from the day before I cried.
Oh my little Emily-Memily...
You grew up...
Way too fast...
I wish...
You were about this big still.
I love you. |
|
No comments:
Post a Comment