Crying In My Diet Coke

This morning (at the crack of dawn after two hours of sleep) we put our third son, McKay on the plane for his two year mission for our church.  It's one of the most bittersweet experiences of being a parent I think.  You're so grateful for the choices they are making, and yet so sad to see them leaving for two years.  He's headed to the New Hampshire, Manchester mission and we are so excited.  New Hampshire doesn't seem that far, and yet, for two years we will get just one email a week and just two phone calls a year.  In this day and age of constant technology, that's pretty meager.  Done are the days of receiving texts asking if I'll pick up milk, or if he can have money for gas.  I can't just pick up the phone and call him at college or even go down and visit for the weekend.

Yep, it's the worst.  But it's also the best.

It's the best because he's doing good things--difficult things.  And he's doing them because he WANTS to do them now, not just because Mom and Dad expect it.

We have several friends and family who are sending children off to college and missions and I've thought about what advice I would give, now that we've been through both three times.  For what it's worth, this is what I've come up with:

THEY ARE IN A GOOD PLACE

Console yourself with the idea that they are in a good place, moving forward with their lives and becoming the adults you want them to be.  And even though you may be crying in your Diet Coke like me, chances are you're extremely proud of the person they are becoming.

THEY WILL LIKE YOU MORE

It's true!  I mean they love you and all that now, but there is nothing like moving away from home to get them to appreciate all you've done for them for the last two decades.  Seriously--all that laundry you did for them, meals you cooked, and family bonding experiences you made them endure are remembered much more fondly.  This may actually be my favorite part of them leaving...

YOUR NEW NORMAL CAN BE A FANTASTIC NORMAL

While I absolutely miss my kids when they leave home, I also really like it.  That sounds callous but I prefer to be a glass is half full type of gal.  I'm annoying that way.  When one leaves home it changes the dynamics--but I've found it to be really enjoyable.  The kids still at home get a chance to shine a little more, you get to eat out a whole lot more cause it gets way cheaper, and we now fit in a regular size car versus the Morgan Mobile.  Plus when Kennedy, our baby, leaves for college Dave and I are planning to head to Hawaii and lounge on a beach for three weeks where we will go to any restaurant we want (never once stopping at Wendy's), watch whatever we want on the hotel TV and only have to  put sunscreen on each other.  I can't wait.

You know what?  I'm feeling better already.  But first, a nap--that Diet Coke is wearing off...