Thinking Ahead

This was the first week I have let myself think of Fall. I have spent the summer thinking of Mike and Mel and their changing lives. Mike is leaving for college in a week. Melanie is drum major for the band, starting her junior year, and taking college courses already. I have tried not to think of the after. I didn’t want to fall apart. But the last few days, I have let myself think of the after. After Mike leaves for school, my grocery list will change. Mike has always been a meat and potatoes kid. When he’s at school, I can buy salmon, and not save it for a night he’s got plans. I can cook more exotic foods. Melanie loves to try new foods. Mike, not so much. I won’t have to buy beef. Josh, Mel and I have all converted to ground turkey….Mike was the holdout.

When he is at school, we only have one kid to shuffle to activities. No more drama practice or wrestling gyms or fantasia rehearsals. Just band and art club and guitars and strings. Less items to put on the calendar. I have spent the summer thinking of the things I will miss. It did not occur to me that there will be things that I could look forward to. Like less running, less laundry, less food (the boy can EAT). More time to spend with Joshua, and time with Melanie (although at 16, it’s the last thing on her to do list, but I can hope). I can chaperone band competitions on Saturdays and not worry where he is or did he remember to do the dishes, feed the dog. Or feel guilty that I have spent every Saturday from Sept thru Oct being gone with the band.

Maybe this whole kid at college thing will be good. Don’t get me wrong, I will miss all these things. But he will be great at Pitt. He will do amazing things with his life. And possibly, with less mundane “things” to do, maybe I could concentrate more on myself and my issues (God knows I have plenty to choose from). Or take a Monday night class.

I will try to remember these things as we move him into his new digs, as we drive away and leave him at school. He isn’t planning too many home weekends before Thanksgiving. Maybe that’s a good thing, for me and for him. He can adjust to his new life, concentrate on school, meet new people. I can adjust to one teen’s social life, and concentrate on new things too.