My husband made it successfully to Taipei, after a derailed attempt to get there a month ago due to a medical issue. (He made it to CA, then had to fly back home and cancel the trip) I had the most delicious curry today a our favorite Thai restaurant. It was seriously comfort food level of yumminess. My oldest dd and I received enough scholarships this year to pay for our tuition, books AND a little extra.

It is definitely heavy on the grieving side in my circles. One mom has a son that just went into the military (a choice that is common in her family, and has been her son's goal his entire life). Things she has posted has made me think "He didn't die! He's just moved on with his life." She's been a little more extreme than many of the moms I know, but most of them have been very very upset about the kids leaving the nest, or even thinking about when they do leave. I'll admit though, most of the mothers *here* that I see so upset are also the ones that give me the side eye for letting my kids be so independent. I feel bad that they are so heartbroken, and do offer my sympathies. Even if I don't have similar feelings. I'm over here like "Wouldn't you like a place of your own?" to my 19 year old..lol. (And I'll admit, this is my own projection. I had been married for three years at her age and was pregnant with HER. I can't image myself still living at home at 19.)

I'm actually glad to see this post and the responses. I was beginning to feel like there was something wrong with me for looking forward to my girls going away to college next year. (Possibly all three at once, so we will go from full house to empty nest!) I'm excited for them. They aren't sitting around lamenting leaving me behind, they are eagerly planning their adult lives. All this work of raising them is beginning to pay off in functional adults! I'm really looking forward to this next stage of life. I'm TIRED, and am looking forward to the break from the daily push and pull that comes from parenting three smart, strong young women that have their own opinions on EVERYTHING! lol. I'm looking forward to not having to plan around 5 different opinions on food for dinner/shopping/eating out. I will miss them. I'll probably cry on move in day. But I don't foresee myself being sad for long, especially once I see that they are doing ok. Then again, I've never been the mom that longed for the baby/toddler days again, and have enjoyed every new stage of independence they've reached.

And you wouldn't be entirely wrong in that assumption! :lol: :lol:

All my neighbors are related to my dh. :crying: :crying: :crying: So, yes, we are very, very acquainted. Did I mention VERY? I rather miss living in a neighborhood without blood ties. We've lived in a lot of places, but we usually became pretty good friends with the neighbors in nearly every instance.

Short notice is no excuse whatsoever for the dad's behavior. I have people drop in here all the time on short notice. Some people are vegan. Some are allergic to some foods. Some are just simply picky. No matter the reason, when we are told they can't or don't want to eat something, we simply say "Ok" and move on.

My dh and I both slept in twins until we got married. My adult size kids all have twin beds (the shortest is 5'8"). A twin is fine.

My voice sounds a lot like my daughters' voices. However, my accent is soul crushing..lol. I have a very, very, very country accent. I can't seem to ditch it. Thankfully, my kids did not pick it up.

Congrats on the scholarship! Our college uses custom editions a lot. It annoys me to no end. Combined with online access codes, resale or buying used is impossible.

I just want to stop having to THINK about food so much. I don't even care how it gets here anymore. Just food that tastes good, won't kill us, and that everyone in my house will eat. ETA: I chose personal chef that cooks both their recipes and my own.

It looks a lot like my dds hair which is a dark strawberry blond. As they get older, it gets darker. We used to put blond on everything, but now they are starting to check the brown box. There isn't usually a "really light brown with a red tint" box...lol. Just don't be like my husband. He used to be platinum blond as a child. Now he is very firmly in the light/medium brown category, but still considers himself blond. He argued with me for an hour that Bradley Cooper has blond hair. Because his color perception is warped.

75-80 during the day, only slightly cooler at night. Mostly sunny with a slight breeze. Rain at night while I'm in bed. I don't tolerate heat well, never have. Until recently (hormones) I would hardly ever sweat and overheated very easily. I HATE cold. It hurts and makes my bones ache. I'd rather be overly warm and risk overheating.

With my oldest, we started to skip 8th grade. I thought she was ready, SHE did not. We ended up technically doing 9th grade twice..lol. She needed the time to mature, and she's even on the older side for her grade. Sending her to college at 17 would have been a disaster for her. She turns 20 this December, and is finally ready to think about going away to school as a transfer student. (she's at a CC right now and living at home) OTH, we did skip the 8th grade with the twins. They were more than ready, maturity-wise and academically. They will graduate the same week that they turn 17. The biggest problem they've run into so far is just that all their friends are older and were driving and such a long time before they were. They finally caught up to that milestone, and it is fine again. Maturity-wise, they will be more than ready for college I think. Their dad and I both were early bloomers and had moved out by 17. So, really, I would base it on maturity more than academics.

Now, while guilty of finger-licking while eating at home, I am also a clean spoon taster, especially if there is even a remote chance that someone outside of my immediate family will be eating it. And copious hand washer. And counter washer.

All of mine have had piercings at either the Piercing Pagoda or Claire's. I wouldn't recommend going that route again. We'll do a tattoo/piercing shop the next time. Somewhere that doesn't use a gun. One dd had the gun only go halfway through the first time (she has thicker earlobes) and the girl ratcheted it on through. She's had trouble with that ear for years. Another dd decided to get a cartilage piercing last year, and we didn't do our research beforehand. The rate of infection is much higher with guns for a cartilage piercing, and it never did heal properly. She ended up letting it grow over.

No finger-lickin' at fancy restaurants, but it is fair game anywhere else. Just don't go all slurpy/slobbery on them. Just be glad you weren't ever around dh's aunt, who was known to pop out the ol' dentures and "clean" them up.

There are a lot of my girls' friends getting married this year. The ages have been around 20-22 years of age. I don't see anything new. Lots of people I knew when I was that age got married, with the next wave hitting closer to 30.

One has at least one other school that she is applying to. She really, really, really wants to go MTSU, and will only attend this other school if she has to. She just mailed in her Fellowship application today for the Honors College at MTSU, which has full ride potential. (Keeping everything crossed there) But even if she doesn't get full ride, she already qualifies for enough aid to make it affordable. I think the other one is satisfied with the two she applied to. Her first pick, Union, is dependent upon the financial aid package, while the other is pretty affordable for us. Plus, she is ok with going to our local community college for two years, if for some reason neither works out financially.

You should! That is a huge accomplishment!

What does he think about being a younger 10th grader? I will have two that will turn 17 the week they graduate, and are going to college 3 months later. While I cringe a little at the numerical age, their maturity level is just fine for that course. (Dh and I both left home before 18, so it runs in the family..lol.)

It is a little early, but my two girls have started getting their acceptance letters for Fall 2017. :hurray: :hurray: One dd(16) was accepted into Union University, which is her #1 pick. Both dds(16) were accepted into MTSU and got their letters today. They also got Honors Admission. This school was the other dd's #1 pick. Both were very homeschool friendly schools, and gave us no trouble at all about transcripts, etc.

Did her funds get posted? DDs were posted a few days ago.

My husband has lived with chronic pain since 2008. It can be such a struggle. Things that help him: Resting often. Taking his meds like he is supposed to (this seems like a no brainer, but he often decides he should wean off for a while and "deal". It never ends well). Getting outside a little each day if you can. Being active when you can, but not over doing it. Hot epsom salt baths. Reducing stress. Realizing when you have to slow down and rest. Things that hurt him: Eating poorly. Doing too much (especially in the heat). Not getting enough sleep. Stress.

Homeschooled full time: two from grades 3-graduation (well, they graduate in May), one from grades 6th-graduation.

My husband takes it regularly to help with his chronic pain and twitching. It works pretty well for him. He takes it about 30 minutes before bed and then is out like a light once he gets still. He's never had any trouble with it other than it seeming to be less effective after he's been on it for a while. He usually tries to stop taking it for a month or two for a "reset" when he seems to be getting used to it.