There may be no more painful process in the entire lifetime of a human being. Of course I haven’t lived a whole lifetime yet, so maybe there are more painful experiences coming, but this one ranks in the top five all-time for me in these past 44 years that I have lived. Dropping your kid off at college and driving away has got to be the total pits of allpits. Yes I am thrilled that she can manage without me and that she is independent and capable and all that jazz, but I hate more than words can say that I am STILL separated her! The pits! Wretchedness! I am 5000 miles away!

I know that this is supposedly proof of successful parenting, but why doesn’t feel better? Why can’t my kids live with me like a normal family? Why can’t I see my kids play sports and be in school plays and sing in the choir and play in the band and be a part of special music on Sunday mornings in church and sit down and have supper with them and tuck them into bed at night and on and on I could go . . . and you are probably sick to death of my peeing and moaning about this. Well get over it!

The eternal question is the same; is it worth it? Most days no, . . . some days, I guess. Now to add insult to injury, I get to fly back to Makedonut and spend 4 days with the kids still at home, before they leave for boarding school. Enough already!