parting shots

I feel like I've been on the road forever. Actually, it's only been 5 weeks since we began this college grand tour but it's finally over. as we drove through the wasteland of manchester avenue on our way to lax, I saw this last iconic bit of California glitz and shot it for posterity's sake. At the time i assumed college bound son was going to choose the southern cal school. after all, how can you compete with all that glorious beauty? sun, mountains, flowers.........it's endless. so, Randy's donuts, my last view of LA, i thought, before we begin to come out here a lot more. 

but lo and behold, we had one more visit to the wisconsin school. at the last minute, son finally chose that one, and husband and i couldn't be happier. in the end, son said he never believed the whole friendly midwest thing - thought it was a myth, until he visited the wisconsin school. he said there was a compatibility factor with folks there he did not experience anywhere else. and boom, the midwest is where he'll be for the next 4 years. just in time, because big sister will be moving from the midwest to the big apple, where she got a job in a huge law firm. 

so now the roles are reversed........son will be hitting the books (and taking my car - much safer than the kids' car) and daughter will be wearing heels, ann taylor suits and carrying the wall street journal on the subway to work. husband and i will be at home, where we are currently unemployed, i'm driving the kids car and we're planning to set out for SE Asia for a month at some point in the near future, with only our backpacks on our backs and flopping in youth hostels.....(or elderhostels, depending on your p.o.v!!)

we've done a complete 180.........kids are the new adults, parents are the new kids, and we feel like we're back in college ourselves.......all except the tight shorts, disco beat, big mustaches and Kansas singing Dust in the Wind. 

i know the nest is slowly emptying. it's sad, for sure, but there's also something really freeing about all this. i can't see around the bend to the future, but i'm slowly shifting my focus to enjoying the journey going on right under my feet.

xo♡a