Missing you versus being Homesick:

People keep asking me if I'm going to miss Kristie when she goes to Western. Somedays I feel like saying "duh yeah!!" but the question has made me think. What about Kristie am I going to miss.

Duirng one of our discussions about her going to Western I told her I was going to miss her because I really like her. I know I love her, I carried her for 8 months inside me, I'd cried buckets when she was in neonatal, I've watched her grow and mature and turn into this beautiful girl that I love dearly. But you know, you can love someone and sometimes not like them, I think sometimes that can be true with teenagers. With Kristie, I like her, I like spending time with her, I enjoy talking to her, hanging out with her, laughing with her. She has such a good sense of humor, loyal and caring nature. We went to a Christmas concert at a local church last night (Calvary Church). A friend of hers from school attends this church and invited Kristie to come watch her int he concert. So Kristie asked if I would go with her. We had a lot of fun sitting in the pew, giggling about the kids, generally talking about stuff afterwards. It was alot of fun and that is what I will miss. Those moments.

I keep teasing Kristie about missing us and missing my morning hugs/kisses, missing her dad teasing her, Wedenday night watching Veronica Mars at the Taylors, etc. She guiltly admitted that she wasn't going to be homesick. I told her that was good. If she misses us but isn't "homesick" then we have done our jobs as parents. It means she misses the time with us, the safe comfortable haven where she can be herself...but it won't stop her from enjoying her time at Western, from soaking up every experience there, or stopping her from participating in activities because it might mean she can't come home to see us. It means she is independent and can function without us... but will still miss us.

Sigh, I will miss her...

But I also know that going to Western is another great experience for her that will help her mature more, grow more, be more challenged, more independent and she will get a more solid spiritual influence. That's all a parent can ask for.