Hopefully half. Will he fall into to pier pressure? Then I panic about my younger years...thanking God I survived. Will he be ok without me? The questions circle my brain every night as I try to sleep. And I can't sleep, most annoying. It literally can drive you to the point of insanity. Way harder than raising them. I've done this before he's my middle child. I thought it would be easier. It was actually harder. Another one gone. When the first left I held on to the fact that I have two more. Little did I know this day would be here in a blink of an eye. I miss him every day. I find it unfair that it went so fast. Cole was my kid that would watch shit TV with me. Make me laugh when we would watch housewives and he would ask me why their teeth looked liked chiclets gum and why they looked so much younger than me even though they were my age. I would say that is what is called a Hollywood make over. And I could look like that too with plastic surgery and unlimited funds. But He would tell me I was perfect just like myself. Ok loved him for that! Liar, lair pants on fire. This kid was the best from the time he was little. Carefree and easy. And of course there were a few WTf moments. The first two years of HS were a challenge. We all need help in these years. But he grew up into a good man, I'm so un believably proud of him. I honestly I got away with a few hiccups. So much better than what I did. But I will never admit that to him till later in life. Or maybe NEVER.
When I got in the car to leave him behind my heart sank. I felt sick and I could no longer hold back the tears. Ugly cry. I'm going to miss him terribly. So maybe I prepared him but I did not prepare myself. I'm a mess. The struggle is no joke. I have a pit in my stomach. My normal carefree easy going self is angry. I'm not in a good mood at all. Postpartum? Did not have that, I don't think so. I know reading about it it's a horrible thing. But I'm feeling it later in life. I told a friend I'm so depressed I think I'm having postpartum later in life. Friday night lights are so sad. 15 years of this kid playing football and now I don't know what to do with myself. I've been a football mom for 15 years! Practices, games, my social event....all gone. Who am I now? Well lol I know who I am. I have a career I'm busy at work...but damn it's not the same. I'm making this sound all about me....it's not. I'm 100 percent sure he misses it too. I've never loved changed. It's a big change for me. This is harder on me than him.
So I read everything I could find about a child leaving. What not to do what to do. They say you did your job let them fly. Don't go home and look at all the pictures of them growing up. Did I listen? Hell no! I went home and ugly cried looking at every picture I ever took. And I took a lot. I tried to remember every moment in those pictures. So much history so many memories. UGH Trying to remember all of them. Was I a robot going through the emotions trying to get through those years. Did I take them in? Some yes, others no. I was just trying to get through it honestly at times. Then I thought my nieces are getting older too before my eyes. So I started ugly crying about them too. The struggle is real....Did I say that????
I got home from taking him and left for work the next day. I pulled out in front of my house. I stopped my car and looked at my house. I started ugly crying because my house is no longer the same. And never will be the same. The struggle is real. Said that 199 times right? When we moved in this house I had three boys living in it. Under my roof, safe for the most part. I loved this time in my life. I miss this time. Going to their school events. Going to their games. Having them here and their friends in the house. They drove me nuts at times. Yes he will come home and this will always be his home. But the house will never be the same. They will never be young living here again oh shit I will never be young either. I will never be scrambling to help them with a project they told me about the night before....that I would have cussed like a sailor about. I will never be running behind to get to a field trip I dreaded to go to. Going to his games. There will never be a morning yelling like crazy when no one can find their stuff that for some reason they thought I miss placed. Never a morning filled with Santa. Ugh that kills me. I crazy loved Xmas. A night that they broke curfew. That I waited up madder than a wet hen. A night after a football game where we eat shit food and go over the game. A night where we talk about what's going on in school...where my kids tell me all the bad things the other kids are doing that they are not.....LOL I didn't fall off a turnip truck! The early morning practice where I set my alarm to get them up. The skyword where I checked grades. Those days have left this house. My house used to be noisy and full of life. Dirty and crazy. It's now quiet and clean...I used to think I would like that. I hate it. It's lonely now. I'm bored. I used to look forward to coming to home to a house full of kids. They ate everything in the house even the shit no one would eat. I miss that so much. I'm upset that the old people that warned me about this were right. I'm upset that I'm that I'm the old person telling everyone I know with young kids that it goes fast. I said that too. Ugh repeating myself. I have become that older annoying person telling you shit you don't want to hear. But I'm here to tell you it goes way too fast!
Yes I have one left. But only two years...It's almost over. He already has one foot out the door. Plus he's pretty easy. I don't have to worry about curfew or last minute projects with him...KNOCK ON WOOD! I feel bad for him too. He might be worst than me. The first week I came across his homework for English. He wrote a paper about his brother. Titled "My partner in crime". He talked about their years together. How he looked up to him and wanted to be like him. Said it's hard for him to see his brother leave. Last line was he's not only my brother but my best friend. Really cause I wasn't sad enough! It's sad for him he used to having his brothers here and he's alone too. I'm sure he's as bored as me without their drama. So we are all sad in this house. Like I said the struggle is real for all of us.
How many of you parents out there want a do over when your kids leave? I know I do. I've always told my kids I wish you could be 40 and look at your life because you would make different choices. I tell them all the time the choices you make effect the rest of your life. And they do, it's true. I wish I could have been 70 and looked at my choices. Working too much. Not spending enough time. Getting annoyed not knowing your days are numbered. Being present more. I made my share of big mistakes. Being so stressed out about what other people thought. Who cares what other people think! Too bad I get that now! Or where my kid ranked or how good of an athlete he was. We all get caught up in the compare game. It's a horrible place to be. In the big picture that doesn't even matter. I always tell my kids HS is four short years of life. If kids don't like you or your not the best athlete it does not matter in the big picture. Not everyone who likes an apple likes an orange. One of my friends told me that years ago and its so true. Even though there is no reason for them not to like the orange they just don't and that's ok. I tell them there will be people you don't like sometimes for no reason. It's ok. and not everyone will like you either. If you are a good person and kind that's the most important thing. So many people have told me over the years my kids are kind to their kids that is the biggest compliment you can ever give me. In a perfect world we could re do this crap over! A rewind button would be nice.
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