And another leaves the nest

August started with a bang. Oleg's mom had a health scare that required calling an ambulance, and she was hospitalized for several days. I had the weird eye/tooth thing. By the middle of this month, anxiety was a daily thing in my life.

It was a relief to be active. Sydney moved into her USF dorm yesterday, and her mother and I led the charge. The day was hot and sunny. We got a rain shower that lasted for minutes, and it was humid. Perfect weather for moving furniture. 

Having done this more recently than SueG, I knew to go first to the volunteer tent and score some college kids with a bin. They were standing under the tent, waiting.

Me: "Who wants us? We have a shit ton of stuff, but we're fun with a capital F."

Immediately, a girl named Moe threw up her hand.

Moe: "We got you!"

She and her female counterpart pulled the bin to the car, and I got her story. She, too, was a freshman but had volunteered to move into the dorm early, avoiding today's fuss. I liked her immediately, and boy, could this girl haul ass. 

She climbed into the van and lifted, pushed, and pulled furniture. She loaded and organized things into the bin and directed us, giving me pillows to carry and Sydney suitcases. It took them three trips to get everything into the room, and we laughed and entertained both girls so much that they were sorry when they had to move on to someone else.

Alex and Sydney's dad appeared and were given building jobs. The roommate and her mother and grandmother arrived. Sydney and I moved furniture. I made the bed, and SueG and I unpacked suitcases and hung clothes. We had the room looking damn good in record time, and then we sent the men home, went out to eat, and then shopped for all the things Darcy had listed that Sydney needed. 

I kept commenting about how we'd see her at Thanksgiving, and I'd fake cry. Both of them claim they are not emotional, and while that's 75 percent true, there is that 25 percent. However, once it was time to go, I did not expect either of them to cry.

And they did.

One minute, they were at the van door saying goodbye, while I paid scant attention, more focused on my missed phone message, and then the next minute, I looked up, and both were crying. 

Me: "What? Are you crying? OMG, are you two crying?"

SueG: "Maybe."

Ah, the empty nest. I know it well. Good luck, kiddo. Happy adventures!

Do your homework!