Going, Going, Gone; Sending three kids off after graduation

     For most parents they see their kids going off at least a year apart, going to college. For a mom of triplets the house looks a little different after graduation. Normally we would each move away at the end of the summer and go to our colleges but that’s not how our story is unfolding.

     After having three kids in the house for 18 years the feeling of having an empty house is very foregin to us all. However in June our house will go from five to three as both of my brothers leave for Marine Corp. Boot camp. 

     This transition will be harder than just having a child go to college because we will not have any facetimes, calls, and very few letters. The shock of little communication will be one of the hardest parts for our newly separated family.

     Whether parents have one student or many, the separation can be a dynamic changer for a parent to student ratio. Going from being a member in the house to the adult in the world the relationship can get taken for granted.

     Wrapped up in the excitement of graduating, senior week, and living up all the opportunities for your last summer before the real world starts. We tend to forget about spending time with the people we are leaving behind. 

     The relationship between a parent and a kid is changed when the student goes away. It’s not always for the worse but the dynamic is different when you realize the people you see everyday are no longer there everyday. The moments you do get to spend become that much more special.

     So as I start to wind down my senior year I’m making more effort than ever to make the memories that I still can, and take the time that is left to make it valuable. After June shows up in a few short months the time will be short and I want to be sure that I have had the best time with the people that I deem most important.

     The important memories look like happy new experiences like taking a drive to a new river and taking a walk or learning how to cook a family recipe together. These are going to be the things that I’ll look back at after college and say I remember how fun that time was and it was quality time with that person.