And Then There Were Five

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  1. Christ, Kathy. Now I’m plotting how to get my kids to fail out of high school, require full time at home nursing, or “lose” their car keys so they cannot leave. That really puts a dent in my future fantasy of a clean house, flexible hours, and a full night’s sleep. Thanks a lot. Seriously, though, #1 is going to do well in life BECAUSE you are a parent who loves her this much. She’s one lucky one. Enjoy the others while you’ve got ’em, and I’ll do the same. Heartache always gets you, though, one way or another. Good to have friends like you out there, telling it like it is, trying to prepare us all for it. xoxoxo Sara S.

  2. I am 8 years (God willing) away from this same heartache. Thank you for sharing and Good luck to you all! Bittersweet!!!!

  3. No doubt that the 5 of you will miss Brady terribly (although, Zoe may be comforted by her move into Brady’s old room). I hope you and Brad give yourselves a big pat on the back for a job well done! Brady is an amazing person. With your awesome parenting she has grown to become exactly the person she was meant to be. Don’t worry, she’ll call or visit whenever she needs money or a home cooked meal.
    -Lori

  4. Kate, I am feeling something already. Perhaps different with boys than girls. For a year now I can recognize Alex by the back of his head more than his facial features, he is always walking out the door and a w a y…. I savor the moments, like this summer at the cape when we were waiting outside a store for my friend & her kids and he came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my shoulders, cause he’s that tall & I’m that short, and just stood there for 15 minutes allowing himself to hug me. I wrap that one up and put it in my heart to comfort me as he goes and does what he is supposed to do.

  5. What a nicely written and heartfelt post! I just dropped off my eldest child, too. Foolishly, I thought that it would be get better after the first day, but I now think I was a) exhausted from the preparations, b) vicariously excited about the new locale, and c) not quite realizing that home would never fully be home for her again. Now it is hitting me. Thanks for putting our feelings into words.

  6. Thanks for the kind words — posted here and emailed/phoned in as well. I’m here to tell you it’s all good. Weird, different, but good. Don’t have that carsick feeling all the time anymore, and the infrequent texts from #1 let me know she’s loving life. What more can any mom want?

  7. Well now I know why every time I mention to my girlfriend @ work that pretty soon she’ll have the last of her 4 out the door she breaks down sobbing. I don’t even have kids and you made me tear up, thanks Kate. Hopefully she’ll be one of those kids that comes home so often in the first couple of years for Thanksgiving, Chreistmas etc… that it will be like she never left. I already miss her too. I’ll be like Bernie carrying around one of her shoes.

  8. Thanks for all the great feedback, and FYI, it’s all good.
    I’ve heard from a tons of friends — new and old — in person, on the phone, bringing gifts and hugs and wine, and tons of emails. Do me a favor tho’ — repost, share, and write it down here! Do so anonymously if you want, but the comments here give me much needed street-cred. And about this college thing, all you young parents: don’t say I didn’t warn you!

  9. Awwww . . . this is such a heartfelt and heart-wrenching post.

    Sigh.

    My daughters are 9 and 11, but the time between their babyhood and now? Seems to have passed in a matters of moments. I know I will be where you are in another few short moments.

    Sigh.

    Hmmmph.

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