My middle child, the emotionally connected one of the three graduated the last week of may. Just a mere two weeks after turning 18.

I am so proud of the young woman she has become. Beautiful inside and out. She has high aspirations of becoming a pediatrician. She is not only really great at her studies, and has already earned her EMT license while attending high school. But she also has a natural re pore with children, and also with children and adults with disabilities. They are just drawn to her.

She makes friends pretty easily and once she makes friends, she is a friend for life.

She signed up for a summer job working for my cousins company which was to start immediately after school was out. It was a good opportunity to get some sales experience, to get some experience solo, away from mom and structure. And it was also a great opportunity to make a lot of money in a short amount of time which would go a long way paying for medical school rather than loans. ( one of the drawbacks of being the child of a single mother with limited funds).
She was lucky enough to get a week of break before leaving for the summer job.


Using every hour of the time crammed with friends and activity. BBQ's, Picnics, Hiking to the waterfalls, movies and just plain hanging out.

She is lucky to have so many friends. But this is who she is!

As I wrote in my last post, the first couple days she spent in the state of Texas were really tough. I am sure it was a mixture of missing friends and missing out on her first summer of adulthood. But also the shell-shock of being away from home and all of its security and routine.

I have not heard from her in a couple days and the last thing I did hear was that she was doing well and had made some friends.

I take this as a good sign.

I don't know if she will make it through September, but I am so glad that she is no longer miserable. Sigh of relief.

As for me!? It is still tough. Hard to let your babies grow up. My son will be home in a couple weeks and we will get a couple weeks with him before he is gone again. In September, the same month my daughter arrives home (assuming she makes it the full term of the contract) my son will be headed to Iraq.

In my whole life I have not moved more than 13 miles from my childhood home. I am not good with change, I'm not very good with not being a stones throw from those I love. But I am learning. First with my parents move. Then my son leaving home.

And now my daughter.


And it really wont be too long before my baby leaves the nest.

She is the one I want to hold on to the most. No one wants their baby to grow up! Well, leave then nest anyway! And she is the one who has wanted to spread her wings the longest.