Summer After One Year Away At College

I will start this out by telling something I was told by a wise friend and one of Suzannah's favorite people, (Kris Palfrey, you know I am talking about you). Kris told me when I was so stressed and worried about Suzannah leaving for college that you miss them like crazy and can't wait for them to come that first summer and then it is several weeks and you think wow, when is she going back.

I guess you could say that even though you are sad while they are away, they come home and they have a new routine and they are used to doing things their own way and Paul and I had become accustomed to having the house to ourselves. It actually took some getting used to having her at home again. She had crazy hours, you know college kid hours, up all night and sleeping late until class, eating Taco Bell at 2am etc...

Well one week into her first summer home, she managed to drop her brand new Blackberry in the toliet and ruin it. A few days later she was rear ended two miles from home, after I worried sick about her driving in Tampa traffic and interstates.

So it was not long before we felt like things were back to "normal" whatever that might be. We were just kind of moving right along when my mom, Suzannah's Gram, had a large stroke and ended up in the hospital. Wow that's not how we had planned the summer. I spent all of my time when not at work helping to take care of my mom. As a testimony to how much Suzannah cares for and loves her Gram, she offered to not go back to school and take online classes. On one hand, I was so proud of her for being willing to sacrifice her college career for her Gram, but with that said, I had to tell her that as much as we could use her help, her Gram would never stand for that and that would mentally be a stumbling block for her Gram. My mom is so proud of Suzannah, she has invested so much time and love into my child, but I know she would never stand for Suzannah making such a sacrfice on her behalf. Needless to say, I cannot express how proud I was of Suzannah for thinking of her Gram before herself. We did not tell my Mom that Suzannah offered to do this for her because it would have upset her to no end.