[9/1/12] She's gone.

John and Kam just left to go to the airport. She's flying to Phoenix today and then will drive up to Rexburg with her friend Ashley on Tuesday and Wednesday.

I miss her already.

We went to lunch at Olive Garden yesterday, which is her favorite restaurant. After we took this picture, she posted it on facebook with the post: "My madre and best friend. I'm gonna miss her!"

I saw her post as she was typing it.

And yeah.

I cried a little.

Which is okay, except that we were in Olive Garden, in public, and I hate it when I cry in public. I have been so extra emotional since my surgery and it is a real pain sometimes.

Even though Kam has been home for a few days shy of five months, the time went so very fast. And even though I get to see her again on Wednesday when I take Parker to BYUI to get him all moved in and ready for school, she's still not here. And the house feels very different. 

I go into her bedroom to tell her goodnight pretty much every night, and she said that's one of the things she missed when I was down after my surgery. I never knew that that simple thing meant so much to her. So I will miss being able to do that anymore even more.

And since she graduates in April, who knows where she'll be after that. She might get a job someplace else or embark on some other exciting new things and really never live at home again.

So it's a little bit hard. And I am so thankful for texting and skype and cell phones. Because we text everyday and talk nearly every day. And skype is fun to not only communicate almost in person, but she can show me things in her life. And she likes me to show her the girls and anything else new in my life.

So now I'm watching Pride & Prejudice (the new one with Keira Knightly), because it is the best comfort food. Ever. And my favorite movie. Ever.

And although I think Mrs. Bennett is kind of a stinker, today I'm definitely sympathetic to her feelings when she says this:

There's nothing so bad as parting with one's children. One seems so forlorn without them. 

Even though I'll miss her horribly, there is no other place I'd want her to be.

And in preparation for her return to school, here's what we did the past couple of weeks. They turned out really cute!

Monday Kailen and I are going to work on an apron that she found on Pinterest. It's so fun to do things with my girls!

And I'm very thankful Kailen will still be at home. My kids are growing up way to fast. It seems like only yesterday - 3 years ago - when we took Kam to college for the first time. And now Parker is going. And in 3 more years Kailen will be going.

I told John that we need to take a vacation right after dropping Kailen off at school.

Because it will be so hard to come home to a kid-empty house.

He is A-okay with that plan. :o)