I'm not sure who I was convincing most ... my daughter or myself. My daughter, my third and last child, my soon-to-be 19-yr old, is headed off to college in just a couple of weeks. We will be "empty-nesters" ... at least until she visits on the weekends and holiday breaks. To be honest, I have been ok with this new chapter of our lives. She is our last child to leave the nest so I've been down this road a couple of other times with her older sisters. And it has been fine.
When my first-born moved out, something inside of me moved out as well. The realization that I would no longer be "tucking" her in at night (even if it meant just a quick peek) was heartbreaking. My mommy-life was changing ... and I didn't like it. But I adjusted. And I was fine.
Then my middle child moved out. It wasn't as traumatic as the first one ... until I went to visit her for the first time. She was homesick and just needed MOM. We had a great day together but then it was time for me to leave. With tears in her eyes, she sat beside me on the couch with her head in my lap and whispered "I want to go home". It was all I could do not to pack her up right then and there, but instead I whispered those words ... "you're going to be fine". And she was.
No one ever promised a life of sunshine and polka dots when you become a mother. No one tells you that when your children experiences heartbreak, your heart shatters and when your child experiences joy, your heart explodes. But somewhere along the way, someone told you "you're going to be fine". And I will be.