She's Moving Out.... Again

Friday was moving day for Bethany.  Bethany assures me she does not own more stuff than the average person-- rather my minimalist standards are unreasonable.  Different opinions.  Either way, she got it all packed up and was ready and rearing to regain her independent, college life.  

And while there were not the tears and hysteria (mostly on my part) that there were when I took her up to Rexburg a year and a half ago, it is still emotional to send my children out into the world.  And Bethany is a lot of fun to have around.  She is loved and adored by younger siblings.  She has great taste in music and I will seriously miss hearing her singing and playing guitar and violin.

You know what I won't miss?  Knowing what times she comes in at night, how much sleep she is not getting, the condition of her room, and exactly what she is doing and who she is with. She is wonderful and I don't mean to speak ill of her when I quote my wise aunt, "Young adulthood is messy and it's best if you don't observe it up close."

And yet, I will miss her.  I will miss her being a child in our house. She is so excited to be up at Utah State.  She seems to have a great apartment/roommate situation that is very close to campus.  She already has a close friend who has introduced her to other soon to be great friends.  She is ready to embrace the whole experience.  

But even still, you know when I hugged my girl goodbye, I wept.  And I pretty much cried for the two hour drive home.  And you know I am crying again as I write this.  I do not want her to stay home.  Truthfully, it was a little uncomfortable to have her be an adult and be living a home for the last ten months-- darn Covid.  It was most definitely time.  

It took Faith all of four hours to redo the room she and Bethany had shared.  She moved Greta in and rearranged all the furniture.  Greta was thrilled to have her first big girl bed all to herself.

Faith sent me this picture at exactly the right moment as I was feeling sad about leaving Bethany.  It reminded me that even though some of my children are grown and my days of raising them are past (a thought that makes me feel painfully nostalgic)-- I have lots of littles still at home to enjoying raising.  As I drove into the Salt Lake Valley there was a beautiful pink sunset and I felt so grateful for the life we have and where we live.  And maybe that doesn't seem like it's connected to my other thoughts of the day-- but in the moment I felt Heavenly Father was reminding me that my life is here with my husband and children at home and as good as life has been, there is so much good still to be had.  Clark and Bethany have done and are doing just what we hoped they would-- grow up, work hard, and move toward independence.