First year under her belt

This time last year I was scrambling to put together a senior graduation party for Darcy and another for her entire class. While I was working on closing out Darcy's high school career, Tom was driving twelve hours to box up Madison's dorm and get her home for the summer. A stressful time indeed and one that, when I think back to it, gives me palpitations. Chaos was the word for May in 2017.

May 2018 it is Calm. 

Even before the month began, Madison had made the decision to stay planted. No boxing up belongings and moving. Darcy, as she has done all year, had mapped out the entire month. She scheduled her moving date, gave us the information, and when we arrived with the van to lock and load, she had most of her belongings ready and waiting. Having done this more than once with the first child, we knocked out cleaning, packing and loading in an hour and a half and had time to horse around before the RA signed off on the clean room.

And just like that, Darcy's first year of college was complete. As she says often at perplexing sentences, WHART? 

A look back at her year:

• First semester full of friends and game nights.
• Met a boy.
• Learned the campus, the bus route, and parking areas.
• Spent her down time at the amusement park across the street from campus.
• Learned her major quickly since her teacher allowed no communication via the mouth in her American Sign Language Class.
• Found a mentor in ASL in the lab where she studied weekly.
• Began a healthy regime of working out and eating foods she refused to eat at home.
• Visited quite a few of the medical staff for various ailments that thankfully were resolved.
• Pierced her ear cartilage and then later visited a doctor for an infection that closed up said cartilage. 
• Scored perfect grades first semester and decided she needed a job.
• Spent considerable time pushing through several guidance counselors until she got the correct one for her major and signed up for a theater minor.
• Took a lifeguarding class and so impressed the teachers they offered her a job that very day.
• Roommate disappeared before Christmas break without any word. Lived alone in the dorm with the roommate's belongings, but not the roommate, although learned she was just fine.
• Made a few visits home to get her nails and hair done and to check-in with her parents.
• Got locked out of her dorm one night after a visit home and spent several hours running hither and yon around campus fighting to get back in to her room. Made it in before midnight.
• Started lifeguarding at the pool right outside her dorm room.  

• Took 17 credit hours second semester and worked with her day starting some days before 6:00 a.m.
• Had drama with her friend group. Resolved it, but was disappointed to learn that that crap never stops as you age.
• Learned to use power tools in her Tech Theater class and helped build two stages for theater productions.
• Received several shout outs from her professors for scoring the highest total grade percentage in their classes. Earned the reputation of a goody-two shoes for not partying, arranging transportation for those who did, and for not skipping classes.
• Skipped a few classes to help with the reputation, but worried her mother would be disappointed.
• Contemplated a double major in ASL and Religion.
• Had some ups and a few downs and pushed through those with minimal tears and advice from the parents.
• Finished the year with another set of perfect grades.
• Signed up to live in the ASL dorm sophomore year.
• Agreed to continue working the month of May lifeguarding on campus before her summer job begins. Arranged a place to live.
• Named Employee of the Month for April.

Way to knock out that first year, kid. We couldn't be more proud. Love you to infinity and beyond!