Acting Like Kids Again

I wanted to share these photo booth shots with you as a testament to a fun and silly afternoon Ken and I had one day recently. I hung this on our fridge as a reminder of just how proud I am of the two of us. Because you see, he and I have come a long way in the last year or so. Let me explain.

It took us a while, but I think we've almost gotten the hang of it. This college thing - ya know - it isn't half bad! When Matthew was still in high school and we were lamenting his nearing departure, we had friends with older kids who'd already left home tell us, "Oh, you'll see, you'll get used to it before you know it. You'll adjust. In fact, you'll love it!"

We will? Ken and I will love Matthew, our only child, being gone? This child, who has been the center of our universe for nearly two decades? People, come on! What are you saying? It couldn't be. We're different, we knew we were. They just didn't know us.

Then, way too soon, the time came for all the good little boys and girls (and the others, too), to leave for college. It was difficult emotionally, just as we knew it would be. (Get used to it indeed! When our kid is a grandfather, maybe!) Days turned into weeks which turned into long months and I missed our little shaver terribly. Still do.

But you know what? Something happened during those days and weeks and months. I didn't see it coming, but it happened nonetheless. The frequency of the calls home decreased (that, I noticed). But during those many days when we waited and didn't get a call or an email from the boy, we got a little bit used to it, then a little bit more. We knew he was ok. (I mean, we could call, text, IM and Skype, for goodness' sake.) And yeah, well, we knew we'd talk to him in a day or two. But the stretches became longer and longer and he was calling the shots. Little varmint! It was like he was weaning us! Like WE were the ones in kindergarten! And you know what? I am proud to say, we became a little bit more independent! His dad and I did ok, if I do say so myself!

That's right. And you know what else? I have to tell you because I am so proud of us. Ken and I have learned that we can do so many things on our own. It's true. We are able to function just as we did b.a.c. (before a child). And not only that, but, we do things when we want. We eat when we want, we go to bed when we want, we get up when we want. Heck, we even nap when we want! We go out when we want, we even eat cereal for supper if we want!

Now, the funny part of all of this is that guess what time it is? Yep, just about time for summer break. Just when everyone learns all the rules, it's time for a whole new game.