The Birdie Flies

It's a tough time.

There are moments of worry and anxiety, moments when tears flow, when we wonder if leaving him there is the right call, what we are going to do without this boy being in our home like he has been for the last nineteen years (including womb time).  We're far from helicopter parents, but we can't help but stress about whether or not he needs our constant reminders as to what to do next.

It's a special time.

Our boy is beginning a grand new adventure, but he loves us deeply and will be returning home for holidays and other weekends.  He'll be home a whole month around the winter holidays.  Unless he gets a job that keeps him up there.  Okay, I don't want to think about that right now.

At first, it was very scary.  We got to Georgia College campus and his form room, and Benjamin seemed on edge.  He was overwhelmed by the initial paperwork, and how to handle the move in.  Even though we had canceled and been refunded for the loft that was preferred by the other roommate, they had been put up anyways.  They were pretty high up, with a shaky ladder, and we just didn't want it, nor did the other roommate, the one filling in for the one who had left for a fancier room on West Campus.

Benjamin had arrived a day early so that the next day he could be a part of the Cat Crew, a group of students that would help everyone else move in the next morning.  That first night, however, Benjamin could not get up on the loft, and we moved his mattress and bedding down so he could he sleep on the floor.

That night, we left for a hotel room nearby, while our son slept by himself on the floor.  What was going to happen to our boy?  Would he ever fit in?

When we got there the next morning, Benjamin was already on Cat Crew.  We found out that the night before, he had gotten out of his room, made friends and played video games, primarily DC's superheroes game, Injustice.  My years of training in DC lore was finally paying off!  What a proud father I am!

Our first experience with roommates and parents was a positive one, as they all pitched in to help dismantle them and move the lofts out of the room.

I was worried that the Cat Crew might wear out Benjamin and make him surly.  Physical labor is not his forte and did not know what it would do to his mood, or if he would hurt himself physically.

What a silly worry.  He blended in well with others and had a blast!  One time I saw him and another student carrying a very fragile looking dresser topped with a bookshelf.  As they rounded the foyer, I heard a terrible crunch.  Oh, no!  Was he breaking someone's furniture?  A Cat Crew supervisor was worried, and Benjamin said, "It's fine!  That was just the empty water bottle in my pocket!" and he made the crunching sounds again.  He was cutting up the whole crew, being funny and lightening everyone's spirits during the whole experience.  He said it was great fun, and that he was able to sharpen his "improv skills".  Sometimes, I think the poor boy may have inherited too much of me.

And that was the way the day went.  Benjamin moved farther and more confidently on his own, and we realized, for better or worse, our job was done.  We said our goodbyes and headed home.

It was time to let our birdie fly.