Part I: Mac to college

Last Saturday I dropped Mac off at college. Well, I stayed for the day so I'm not sure I should say I just "dropped" him off.

We arrived at campus around 10:30am and we had to do orientation which took about an hour. We also signed all the last minute forms, got his photo ID (which is also a key and his meal plan ticket, and his campus credit card- this is a VERY important document!), his computer sign-in info, and his dorm key.

Then we drove to his dorm. (Mac was soooo nervous, that he didn't want to eat lunch so we skipped it. I was nervous, too, so I didn't care.) He's in an all guys dorm, on the third floor. We were greeted by about 50 smiling, over- caffeinated young people. Their job was to unload our borrowed mini-van full of Mac's stuff. They did- in about 4 minutes. I wasn't even allowed out of the driver's seat. They not only unloaded all his stuff but carried it to the three floors to his room. I then parked and they was escorted by a perky young person to Mac's dorm.

We unpacked- we beat his roommate there so Mac picked the window bed and we had everything almost unpacked by the time Roommate arrived. We all met each other- he seemed nice and so did his mother, godmother, his brother and his sister! We left them alone to sort and unpack and Mac and I went to get his books and roam campus. Then we headed to Wal-Mart with a list of stuff we forgot.

The plan was for me to stay and have dinner and then go to a program for kids and parents, given by the President of the College. We got back and ate dinner- which was a huge picnic for students and their families- which got rained out so about 500 people were crammed into the cafeteria. Mac nor I were very hungry and we picked at the food, and finally went back to his dorm to unpack the Wally World stuff.

When we got back, Roommate was there alone- he's from Chi-Town and his fam had to head back. When Mac found this out, he turned to me and said I could go because everyone talked about how long and boring the President's speech was so I could leave and he would hang with Roommate. Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...

Okay........?

So he walked me to my car. We said bye. I told him I was proud of him and call if he needed anything. We hugged. I left. I couldn't say anything else. I had this whole, awesome mom speech I was going to give him and I couldn't say a word. I just drove away, waving, looking at him in the mirror as he can back inside the dorm without a glance back.

I cried all the way home.

Mac's mom,
Maggie