That Wasn't So Bad

We moved Massey into her dorm room today. She's going to Georgia State University located smack dab in the middle of downtown Atlanta. It's a huge school surrounded by an even huger city. She's one block up from the Municipal Market and as we passed it, brought back many memories of going there as a little kid with my grandparents. It was Atlanta's original farmer's market and you  can still buy just about anything there. We got there right on  time following in our car behind her room mate's parents. Free parking right next door to the dorm for move in day. I haven't seen free parking on an Atlanta downtown street since...never and I grew up here.

Still didn't make it easy. These two girls brought enough stuff to move to another planet. To top it off their dorm room is on the fifth floor and it was boiling hot outside. At least it wasn't raining and at least they weren't on the top sixth floor.

Massey's room mate's parents (who I could never say enough nice things about) brought a handy little collapsible wagon and we loaded it up and all carried armloads as well. You had to wait in  line for the elevator  and the line was out the door. I'll have to say they handled the crush of kids moving in really well and tried to load the elevators according to what floor all the peeps were going to to save time. I was sweating like an overweight man in thermal underwear and a snow suit.

Tim went back downstairs and rented us a huge push container large enough to move a small pony in and that helped.  Every time we went back to the parking lot we loaded the container and the wagon. Ten loads later we had everything up  to the fifth floor and were  all sweating like Mel Gibson at a temple.

Tim and Allen moved  the beds to make more room for the girls and we started unpacking. Pretty much all we took were Massey's clothes and bedding. She had some nice graduation presents, towels, coffee maker, mugs, and cool things my friends  gave her, rolling cart, desk top accessories, rugs, mattress pad, spare linens, cool Indian looking throw, desk lamp and a few other things. My biggest donation was a new tunnel fan I bought when our A/C was out.

Massey's  room mate brought a cool retro fridge and microwave, flat screen TV, brand new printer/fax/copier and  a wireless router. Her dad sat it all up and programed everything. (you  gotta love a Ga. Tech grad)

Here's the thing that touched me the most. He went on and on about how GREAT it was to have a tunnel fan in  their room and seemed totally sincere. Let me also say he's a pretty massive guy, we wore him out and he stood in front of it multiple times to cool off after helping to lug enough clothing to cover every  naked child in Ethiopia up to the fifth floor of a dorm room.

It's not like this family is rich (although compared to us they are.) They don't flaunt it, they  share it. They don't look down on us, they lift us up. They love my girl and my girl loves them.

Today we were all equals. Today we were parents dropping our girls off at  college and I was blown away by  their generosity, sincerity and humility.

Massey knows how to pick a room mate.

Massey did bring some really cool  circle stickers, some made of chalk board and some made of dry erase to leave notes for each other and looked awesome on their closet doors.

Here's our "Tech" man hooking up the printer, TV and wireless router. Massey did paint the hanging over her room mate's bed with her initials.

We all went downstairs to eat with the girls  to see what  the meal plan offered.

 All kind of vegetables, baked ziti, tofu for the vegans, wild rice and scalloped potatoes.

 Flounder stuffed with crab meat, rolls, cabbage.

 Chicken Marsala.

 A huge salad bar with everything you could ever possibly want on a salad and then some.

 They even had pizza. Four different soups to choose from, rotisserie chicken and even fried green beans.

They had at least twenty different kinds of breakfast cereal to choose from and an omelet bar.

They had frozen yogurt, ice cream, all kind of desserts, smoothies and cappuccinos.

Tim ate like he was at  the Golden Coral after a two month fast  and I can't much blame him.

My fave was the mac& cheese bar...four different types to choose from.

Talk about a dorm room with a view. They are in the nerve center of one of the biggest cities in the United States.

And this is just looking out the window of their dorm room.

The school mascot, Pounce even  came by  to meet them!

It was such a long hot day , had so much  to do that it all just became "Blurred Lines"as Robin Thicke sings.

Tim had to leave on the job search front so I bummed a ride home (getting good at it) with Massey's roomie's parents.

Massey was so happy and I was so happy for her I forgot to get emotional. I simply hugged her and told her I'd see her soon.

The only time I teared up was on my bummed ride home. I told them I wanted them to know how much we appreciated  all they have done for my girl.

And like the wonderful people they are  said they felt blessed Massey had come into their daughter's life.

Icing on the cake, my brother got Massey tickets in a private suite tonight for the Bruno Mars concert at Phillips Arena. I called Massey and said "There will probably be lots of food in the suite so take some zip loc baggies with you."  She totally shot my idea down.

We all told the girls before we left today to take a cab to the arena, a five minute ride from their dorm and take one back home. I'm a little nervous about it but you  know what? They are both eighteen and living in the ATL now.

You  gotta let them grow up sometime.

My back is killing me from the move but am a happy mom. My girl is moving on , spreading her wings and taking flight.

That's why they call them high school GRADUATES.  Graduate is defined by  Webster's as  "To advance to a  new level of skill, achievement, or  activity."

I think she's hit all three today. Can't wait to see what else she can do.

Once again reminded how absolutely lucky we are.

Til next  time...COTTON