Do It Anyway!

I didn't really want to take my college girl back to school yesterday, but I had to do it anyway. And it wasn't too bad. Oh, sure, it was super sad, and the house will undoubtedly feel SO lonely without her, 

especially at first. 

But here's what I know: She was SO ready to get back and she loves it there SO much that, worse than taking her away would be to try to keep her here! Before she left, she made a dozen new feeling tiles for my new suite. I just happened to grab the camera as she was finishing up 

the SAD feeling tile . . . sniff, sniff . . . 

As I hugged Kaitlyn and headed out the door, I heard myself tell her to 

"hope for the best but prepare for the worst." That's because she's going to try out for a spot with the Marching Band again this fall, but she knows full well that they may not take her because she's got a required architecture lab scheduled at the same time as the Band's Tuesday night practice. She's frustrated about that, but she's going to do it anyway.

There are 26 new clarinets vying for her spot, so it follows that she may not get chosen this year. But she's willing to give it a shot and even serve as an alternate if she has to, just to be part of that Band family that she's grown to love. They make her so happy! There's also an option for her to be an alternate for carrying a Big Flag. That wouldn't be her first choice, of course, but she'd be willing to do it anyway, just to belong.

We're hopeful for good news, 

when she calls later this week!

What I'll always appreciate about these tiles is that when it came to that last one and Kaitlyn wasn't feeling like doing another one, she made herself do it anyway, for me. 
I sure am gonna miss that girl!