Seven Days and Counting

Yesterday the packing saga continued with Bailey. We got all of the bags and stacks of things and began putting them into the suitcases. At one point, I picked up one of the suitcases and knew it weighed way over the 50 pound limit! So....the hard part began!

I had to have Bailey pick one item out of every category of things that she had to leave here. That's when the waterworks began. The tears began to flow silently out of her eyes, down her cheeks, until they slowly dropped onto the bed. I knew that this one seemingly small, insignificant act was putting her over the edge, but I had to take her there and show her that the edge was really very small and not too painful a fall. It broke my heart to see her.

I took one category at a time and we did it! Jeans, shirts, sweaters, makeup, jewelry, towels, etc...every single grouping got a removal of something! At the end we weighed the bag and it was 45 pounds! She handled it like a trooper and eventually saw the wisdom in it all.

You know, you think that as a mom, your job is mostly over when they hit 15 or 16 or 17....then really over at 18....and beyond over at 19....and at almost 20, they should be taking care of me! But the truth is that they always need you and maybe even more as you think they will be needing you less. Bailey needed me yesterday. She needed me to be strong and hold my ground, but she also needed me to understand that leaving a shirt, a pair of jeans, some necklaces, and towels weren't cause for crying. But that a new grown up life, with new grown up responsibilities, and grown up problems...they are cause for a few tears now and then.