Well I don't update the blog very much at all but I am drawn back here in a mighty way today. Emily is off to the University of Kentucky in August. She could not be more excited. The dorm items from Amazon on trickling in. The studying of the sorority chapters have started. The classes have been chosen. Snaps(chat) have been exchanged with others that will be in her same college. Zoom calls with advisors have occurred. The chick is ready to roll.
Yesterday we went to orientation. The students and parents shared some of the session but most were divided. As I walked from the Student Center to Gatton Business and Economics building, I was for 30 second, transported back to 24 years ago. I was a student with shorts, t-shirt, gym shoes and a heavy backpack on my back and I was walking to class as a UK student. My brain immediately went to look for Craig on the walk. I planned the crowds pouring out the buildings looking for his face as if his class finished the same time as mine did. Thoughts of his schedule and would I see him on the way or in the building flooded my head. Would we be able to share lunch in between our classes? Could be meet in William T. Young to study later? In the 30 second that I allowed my mind to go there was an old familiar. It was a young love familiar. There was not a wrinkle on my face or an ache on my body. I was 20 again. I was walking a familiar path trying to find a familiar face. I had a lifetime in front of me. I looked for the sweet face that I looked for a million times as I trekked across campus.
As I snapped back to reality I saw a building that was in the same place as the building that we walked in the halls together but it was a brand new building with a completely different layout. My back hurts from the weight of the contents. My heart ached because I can no longer call my mom and tell her about this 30 second of a piece of the past, since she joined Craig in February. Although my eyes were a tad "sweaty" I was not a basket-case as I might have been 12 years ago. I refocused on the task at hand which was a fun day with Em and getting her set up for success on the same campus her parents found each other in love on. The next task was to learn about her studies in Health Sciences since I have no idea what that path looks like compared to the the B&E path that I/we took.
It is time to pass the torch on to the next Wildcat. At the beginning of orientation, they asked alumni to stand to be recognized. Simple gesture that probably meant nothing to most but I loved it. UK was where her parents became best friends, fell in love, got a couple business degrees, made great friends, had a million laughs, some tears, lots of memories. I am so proud of who she is becoming and excited for all that she has planned at UK but for me I loved to take a tearful pause of how it all started.
