Launched

My second baby is off to college . . .

The waterfront at Saint Mary's College of Maryland.

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Loading the car wasn't tough. David has a room (not a suite), and shares a hall bathroom, so he needed fewer furnishings than Lauren started school with.Shopping with David is a pleasure. He has strong opinions about electronics, instruments, bikes, and tea, but is relatively easy to please about everything else. And QUICK!

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We look at shower caddies: "Sure, that's fine. Does it come in black?" I call from the store, listing prices and qualities of fans: "I'll take the small one. The black one." We peruse the desk lamps: "That looks okay. Does it come in black?" Etc.

We're off!

The dorm is no-frills cinderblock.

The room is small, basic, and cinderblock,

with a view of the courtyard.Unpacking continues . . .Some essentials:Cookies from Grammy

Tea kettle from Mimi and Granddad (no microwaves allowed!)

Technology (mostly black)

Eclectic book selection (Descartes, Plato, Dante, Sherlock Holmes, Calculus, Ophelia Joined the Group "Maidens Who Don't Float": Classic Lit Signs on to Facebook)

I'd say I handled the day and departure well.

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Today is when I'm feeling it--choking up when I gave Lauren's birthdate to the dentist's office, wistfully considering stopping the woman with the tiny baby in the Costco parking lot to tell her, "It goes by so fast," (I DIDN'T!), feeling emotionally drained and wishing for a nap (Oh, wait--that happens every day!).

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Launching our children, first to college, then into the wider world (not yet . . .) is both beautiful and terrifying.