Root and Wings

My Mom's favorite saying is, "You should give your children two things- roots and wings." She always adds "The roots are easy, the wing'll kill you". Truer words have never been spoken.

When we left Amanda at her college dorm in Daytona and drove away, I cried for the first 50 miles. I couldn't go in her room for weeks. When she would come home and then leave again, I cried every time, for years. I've finally gotten over it, tho I still choke up a little.

So it was slightly easier when Steph got an apartment, and moved last weekend. For one thing, she's only in Philly, not Florida or Texas. But today was the BIG move- she took the dog to her new home. Remember, Toast has lived here for 6 years, and when Steph isn't home, Ralph and I are her caretakers. She even sleeps with us, something I never dreamed would happen. When I'm home and Steph isn't, Toast is my shadow. If I'm in the sewing room, she curls up on the daybed. If I'm in the family room, she's either at my feet or on the couch.

So today Steph packed her up and left. She's doing it on a weekend, so she won't have to leave Toast alone the first day in a strange place. Toast has her blanket and her stuffed monkey, and Steph. Steph even bought a low bed from IKEA that Toast can jump on and off of easily.

It's just strange to not have her here. But they're coming home next weekend, for Steph to clean out her closet, so we'll see them both then. And Ralph and I will get used to the almost empty nest- we still have Frenzy and Miss Millie.

Holly