Delivering Eldest

Before we dropped Eldest off at college we took care of some important details.We blew bubbles, to recall the flyaway years of her childhood...

And (because college is a serious thing), we tested gravity...

And we made sure Eldest was prepared to construct her future...

 

Then we went to her dorm, and installed her in her 'shoebox single'...

 

We went back to visit a few times, bearing gifts of convenience (namely everything that didn't fit into her two suitcases) and pleasure. Eldest seemed glad to see us each time, though also happy to be there. She has made several friends, found out which a capella group specializes in nerdy songs, gone on a top-secret midnight tour of something I can't mention because I'm sworn to silence, and talked herself out of being nervous about tomorrow's multivariable calc placement test. We met her for church this a.m., and met a girl who's the eldest of seven, and another girl who's one of five (both in her dorm). 

Our last farewell was sudden and fleeting. Snuggler cried for 40 minutes, and then we went and bought excellent ice cream. There were more tears on the bus ride home. We arrived, distributed college t-shirts to all and sundry, and ate the Godiva chocolates I'd brought. Chocolates are a good thing to have around when a lot of people are sad and lonely.