Spring is Breaking out All Over

I thought Corrie would appreciate the Doctor Who Snowman connection in this ‘viral’ Raleigh snow image.

This week in Central North Carolina we are finally getting to dip our toes into some true springtime weather. 2014 has been a particularly challenging winter in much of the United States and especially here in Raleigh. Who would have thought we would experience a Polar Vortex and a litany of other winter storms whose names I actually learned, like Titan and Vulcan. Multiple snow and ice events below the Mason-Dixon line here in Raleigh led to so many days off school that they stopped scheduling make-up days. Let’s just say that it was a good season for the Disney movie Frozen. The feature song, “Let it Go” was the inspiration for numerous winter weather parodies, including my favorite from a TV station in Cincinnati titled, “Just Don’t Go” that featured cars slipping and sliding on icy roads.

This time last year we were getting excited for the impending return of our oldest daughter from the winter world of Maine. There was emergency cleaning of bathrooms and bed linens. We had to find our ‘Welcome Home’ signs to take to the airport and plan a special dinner and dessert for the homecoming.

Nope, Not Yet (My how time flies)

Recent conversations have included quotes like, “When does Corrie get home..” “Oh, you must be glad to have her back…”. But the thing is that she isn’t back quite yet. She is not quite a college sophomore. She is still plugging away studying and working (and no doubt squeezing in a bit of goofing off). Even Corrie herself recently commented that she was feeling a bit strange as many of her friends attending college south of the Mason-Dixon line were excitedly posting about ‘finishing my first year of college.’ Not quite yet. Just a bit longer. I feel like a broken record talking about the relative differences in various college term schedules. But then I remember the great part, when I get to chime in with, “She’s having a great time,” and “She’s had a great year, perfect fit… great college.”

COA Beach

As a parent it is very satisfying to know that your child is not only succeeding, getting good grades, and making new friends, but that they are also blossoming and thriving in their new environment. It’s not that I didn’t expect her to have such a great year, its just there was so much unintended negativity surrounding her choice to attend school so far from home. I know people didn’t mean to be negative, it just sounded that way.

On the one hand, the year has flown by. On the other hand the days are dragging as I anticipate her return. We are watching from the outside, and that is bittersweet. We are missing the performances and missing out on hearing her talk about her day. Yup, we are in a long distance relationship. How did this happen?

Head for the hills when it gets HOT!

We still have a few more weeks to wait. Poor thing, she’ll arrive just in time to enjoy some good old fashioned North Carolina humidity. I have a feeling that before long we’ll be the ones planning a visit to see her during the summer in Maine.

Changing Conversations

The holiday season has provided me with some extra time off. I’ve enjoyed it. Unfortunately with the end of the vacation also arrives the end of the my daughter’s break from college.

I can clearly remember our conversations from last Christmas. Centered around the PROS and CONS of one college choice over another. Both her Dad and I were pleased that she got into our local state University in Raleigh. She was pleased too, but as they say ‘her smile didn’t reach her eyes’. This was especially evident when she relayed the news to others. It’s a wonder she didn’t crack with the constant barrage of questions, “Where are you going to college?” “What are you going to major in?”

College of the Atlantic – Yup, It’s cold and snowy in Maine.

Maine seemed so far away when there were so many colleges (that she had little interest in) here in North Carolina. The College of the Atlantic was on the radar at the start of the New Year in 2012 as we began planning a trip north knowing that if she was accepted there would be few opportunities to visit without missing school. How about a visit in January?

What a difference a year makes. The decisions seem bigger, each more of a potential building block to shape her future and determine who she will become rather than just a way to spend summer break. “What should I do in the summer?” “Should I look for an internship?” “I’d love to work (insert place) but is that the best choice?”

This all seems quite reminiscent of conversations that I had with my parents. I wonder if they knew that I secretly would have preferred them to tell me what to do on a number of occasions. I don’t remember any specific answers, just two great listeners. I can only hope that I have inherited the listening gene. I have no doubt I’ll need to put it to good use in both the near and long term.

New Found Independence Meets Status Quo

Excitement is building. Our oldest daughter will be returning home tomorrow from college. Her flights are confirmed. She’s arranged a ride to the airport with the College of the Atlantic shuttle. I’m trying really hard to sit on my hands. I’m not succeeding. Rather than have her worry about checking in 24 hours in advance for one flight – I purchased ‘early bird’ boarding. Now I’m sitting here wondering if she has to check in for the first leg of her flight. I remember this feeling; more of that ‘letting go.’

Perfect workplace for someone who LOVES reading and writing

Here lies the root of my problem. I dropped off my teenage daughter at college in August. The person coming home tomorrow is no longer just my teenage daughter. She is coming home as an independent adult, albeit maybe not fully independent just yet. She has been taking care of herself for these past few months – and doing a fabulous job. She’s been doing laundry, cooking on the weekends, working in the school library and studying. I’m beginning to wonder how this fledgling adult will deal with living at home with her family. Returning to our hectic world of yelling, lunch packing, taekwando lessons, and school drop offs will pose challenges for her and us.

Week 10 – End of Term

College of the Atlantic has three terms per year. Lucky for us that means that Corrie will be home soon and won’t have to head back North until after the New Year. Facebook has allowed us a small peak into her college community, although sometimes I do worry that I am stalking and hovering, albeit from a distance.

You Can Actually See The Floor

I will clarify this post by saying that we do not require or threaten our children to clean their rooms. Along with our inability to get children to bed on time, room cleaning is another area where we are the Poster Parents for how NOT to raise your children. I have enough trouble keeping up with my own stuff. I had high hopes of cleaning Corrie’s room while she was away at college. First I had to promise not to throw away ANY PIECE OF PAPER WITH WRITING ON IT (you never know which tattered index card might contain the next Pulitzer prize winning story idea.)

Until we meet again (not goodbye)

Saying goodbye is never easy. I was not looking forward to the goodbye and kept myself occupied with the last minute tasks of packing up the car for the short drive from the motel to the college. When I think of ‘Goodbye’ my mind wandered to the many international phrases that are more a reference to, ‘Until we meet again.’ Spanish has ‘Hasta La Vista’, although that does make me think about The Terminator movies. The French have ‘Au revoir.’ ‘Auf Wiedersehen’ may mean both goodbye and until we see each other again in German. Goodbye just seems so final.

Before…

The process of checking in and getting her stuff into her room was easy. The weather was picture perfect, she had a ground floor room with an extra door to the outside world, and she was an enthusiastic un-packer.

With beds secured to the floor, two desks, and a small room there were not many alternatives. She unpacked clothes while I unpacked miscellaneous items onto one half of the open shelves. The old home that was converted into a dorm was lovely, but did not feature closets in the rooms.

Lovely Shelves – AFTER

I walked around the main floor of the dorm snapping photos like a tourist. I checked out the bathrooms and the kitchen area, everything looked good. We took a walk down to the campus beach below the pier. I was priding myself on the fact that I hadn’t gotten teary-eyed in front of her. I would have LOTS of time to cry once I was by myself. Then it happened. I heard a sniff. Her eyes were wet. I can’t even recall exactly what she said, but I do remember the feeling:GOODBYE.

There was a schedule to keep so we trudged back up the steep hill, back down the path and across a small bridge over a stream to her dorm. I asked her roommate’s Dad to take our picture. I hugged her and said goodbye; well I can’t remember exactly what I said, but I remember the feeling, it was Until We Meet Again.

Until We Meet Again

I turned and headed back across the same bridge to my Parent Orientation Meeting. Just like all those first day of school drop offs I was glad I remembered how important it was to not look back.

MDI: Mount Desert Island

Friday afternoon we were in the home stretch towards our destination. After shopping at Target and Staples (Augusta Maine) and picking up our pack and hold order at Bed, Bath and Beyond (Bangor) our trunk was full and we were ready to head ‘Down East’ towards Acadia National Park and Bar Harbor. Only 45 miles to go!

I was amazed at the terrain; it was reminiscent of my many drives in upstate New York when I worked at a summer camp north of Lake George. It didn’t seem like we were heading towards the ocean. As we approached the island and could see the coast the view was breathtaking, the island ahead was in fact mountainous, as were the smaller islands in the distance both to its right and left.

What a view!

Corrie had traveled this road before with her Dad back in January to visit the school. The scenery was drastically different in late August with the green of the trees melting into the blue of the water. This trip was also one-way.

You reach Mount Desert Island by crossing a bridge in the town of Trenton. Just like we had done when we crossed into Maine the previous afternoon we shouted ‘WooHoo’ in the car. (I miss being silly with Corrie – sounds like another blog post in the making.)

We arrived at our abode for the next few days just off Route 3 in Salisbury Cove:the Bay Meadow Cottages. Also conveniently located just down the road from the Mount Desert Island Laboratory (where they breed laboratory mice).

The view across the way from our cabin; it was amazing how much the tide moved in and out during the day.

Looking out over the water has a way of releasing tension.

After unloading the car and a stretching out for a short rest we were off. I was excited to see the college and Bar Harbor in person instead of on a website. Excitement and trepidation: the feeling was again bittersweet.

Down By The Sea

Tidepools, Kelp and Seagulls.

We were ready to get going early in the morning. Corrie asked, “Can we break up the shopping a bit today?” We were in luck, there was a park, right on the water, just down the road from our motel. If you are ever in Freeport Maine we would recommend a visit to Winslow Park. We could smell the ocean as soon as we got out of the car. We took a walk down to the tidepool area, stepping carefully over the wet rocks and squishy kelp.

A few families were eating breakfast at picnic tables near the park’s playground. Along with some swings there was a very cool ship! Pirates were attacking – well it was hard to tell who was attacking and who was defending the ship. Each child alternated between various teams; the battle waged on. Watching all the fun I had to admit I was a bit nostalgic for earlier times when my kids loved visiting playgrounds.

The ship that was taken over by the pirates looked a bit like this

I really don’t miss having toddlers though. They need to be chased and hovered over: ‘Don’t eat dirt’, ‘Don’t jump’, ‘Watch out’, ‘Careful’. Many similar warnings come to mind again as we send Corrie off to college, ‘Eat your veggies’, ‘Get enough sleep’, ‘Be careful’, ‘Make new friends’, etc.

We headed back to the highway and true to my word we drove for quite awhile before shopping resumed. Finally passing through our last tollbooth on northbound I-95 we arrived in Augusta Maine. The red bulls eye of Target was beckoning.

Lauren Ingall on Google+

Next Stop: Freeport, Maine

I remember visiting Freeport Maine when I was in college, probably on one of the many road trips visiting friends who went to college in New Hampshire and Vermont. Freeport has changed quite a bit from what I remember. L.L. Bean is a major part of the downtown area that is now filled with stores featuring designer labels and cute boutiques. Just the thing to strike fear into the eyes of the reluctant shopper (a.k.a. Corrie the college student)

We arrived and checked in at our hotel and rested for a bit. The need for additional shopping ever present-the elephant in the room. Our mission was to look for a winter coat and some winter/snow boots. After a brief respite we were off to downtown Freeport. Not only does L.L. Bean have four separate stores (including one outlet) but the flagship store is open 24 hours a day to allow you to shop all night if necessary.

If the boot fits…

Atypical to my normal shopping Modus Operandi I actually flagged down a salesperson to ask, “Where can we find the women’s coats?” and we were directed up the pine stairway to the second floor. I was pleasantly surprised with the amount of information we received about coats, but alas, all the winter coats had not yet arrived since it was only late August.

Warm Fleece for layering – in one of Corrie’s favorite colors!

After trying on a few coats a problem surfaced, inadequate sleeve length. We headed back downstairs to the men’s section in search of longer sleeves. We were rewarded with a friendly salesman who actually had heard of The College of the Atlantic and had a son that was a senior looking at colleges.

A successful shopping trip and end to day one. Corrie was happy, I was happy; tomorrow we would be off to Bar Harbor and Mount Desert Island.

M is for Moose

Now that I am back in Raleigh I’ll be catching up on my posting. Here is the first post after our our arrival in New England.

Did you know that the moose is the state mammal of Maine? When we arrived at the airport in Manchester New Hampshire (long story – this was the furthest north we could get on Southwest) we were greeted by a large moose sculpture in the baggage claim area. In full tourist mode I instructed Corrie to pose with the moose. We got our rental car after a short wait (another long story – no cars available when we first arrived and I was not about to rent a full-size van with its low gas mileage) and were off to Maine.

Eeek! A Moose!

You’ve probably seen Deer Crossing signs where you live too. Here in Raleigh I’ve seen lots of deer dash across roadways at twilight. In Maine you need to worry about a moose crossing the road. I don’t want to know what happens if you meet a moose late at night on the highway. We saw one of these signs about every 10 miles on our trip north to Bar Harbor.

I know that leaving home and all of the familiarity that goes with it is stressful. I was hopeful that some of the stress would be replaced with excitement and anticipation once we had arrived. As it turns out, not quite yet. Traveling is tiring and poor Corrie was pretty worn out.

Corrie will meet many new people at the college. Maybe she’ll even get a chance to see a real moose (from a distance).

Hello, My Name is Corrie, Nice to Meet You?

I know she is ready for this adventure. As with most truly awesome things in life, the first step is a doozy.