…… begins …… again.

Daughter #3, who has been living with me in NY for the past two years, flew back to Texas today …… to live/start a new fantastic job in Austin.
She will now be employed by the Texas School for the Deaf. Which is huge. She did her first internship there and loved it.
It’s pretty difficult to get hired by that school. Particularly for hearing people.
Daughter #3 moved to NY two years ago to do an internship (for her Masters through Gallaudet University) at a school for the deaf in Queens.
She was supposed to be here for one year.

But then she met someone.
Someone special.
And so she decided to stay another year. She became a nanny to a very precious/precocious boy who lives in our building. He’s like the smartest 3 year old I’ve ever seen.
Ever.

Daughter #3 has not loved living in NY. Hard to comprehend, I know.
But the girl was raised in Texas, and is really a Texas girl at heart.
So she flew out today to head back there.

Her “someone special” will be moving to Austin the first of September. Fortunately, he has been blessed with a job in which he excels. The company he works for really values and appreciates him, and so they agreed to let him continue to work for them, and start an office for them, in Austin.
God is good.

Now, I have to remind everyone that, when I decided to do this “NY thing” …… like, three years ago …… there were no children involved.
None.
Zero.
Zip.
Nada.

However, by the time I got settled in up here, I had not only one, but two children living with me.
Daughter #1 got a fellowship at a well-known theatre here before I moved in.
And so she moved to NY not long after I did, to live with me while she did her fellowship.
And then came Daughter #3.

Two more children than I had planned were then living with me.
But hey, the more the merrier, right?
Whatever.

Sometimes merrier.
Sometimes tense.
But it worked out, for the most part.

Daughter #1 finished her fellowship last year and is now living in Philadelphia, working at a small college there. She has left the world of theatre, which seems to be a smart, and more lucrative, career move.
Plus, she’s able to come visit me in NY on some weekends.
Which is very nice.

In fact, she came up this past weekend, as did Daughter #2 and Little Bit, plus a couple of D2’s friends.
We had a full apartment.

Son #3 was added into the mix this past Sunday.
I seem to thrive on a full house.
Since it’s the only kind of “house” I know.

We had a great time and I was able to spend a lot of time with Little Bit, while the girls hit the town.
I had a great time, having all of them here.

Then today arrived all too soon. Daughter #2 and Little Bit left for the airport around 12:30. I was sad to see them go, but sadder to think of Daughter #3 leaving.
But the time came for her, too, to hit the road for the airport.
And my eyes were not dry.
Not for a while.

I helped her take her bags downstairs and then helped her find her really bad Uber driver.
And in a matter of seconds …… she was gone.

Son #3 is still here …… until Friday.
And while I’m glad he’s here, I am still feeling the absence of D#3. This is going to be more difficult than I thought.

Part of me is really looking forward to finally being alone up here …… the way I initially planned.
But the rest of me is going to miss D3 like crazy.

I know that I’ll adjust soon …… and find my new normal up here. But part of me is really tired of always having to find …… and get used to …… these new normals.

The thing that keeps me going is the knowledge that D3 will be starting an amazing job next week …… and I’m excited for her.
She’ll be living with a wonderful friend in Austin (someone I have lovingly referred to as Daughter #4 a time or two) and she’ll be doing work that she loves.

In less than a month her significant other will also be moving to Austin …… and will hopefully have an apartment ready for him to live in.
He grew up in Ohio, so I’m hoping that he learns to love Texas. It’s unfortunate that he’ll be moving there at the end of August/first of September …… but if he can keep in mind that he’ll never have to shovel walks/driveways in January/February …… I think he’ll be ok.
🙂

It’s been a teary couple of days.
But I’m doing ok tonight.
I know that all of my children are exactly where they should be.
They’re all healthy and relatively happy.
What more could a mom wish for?

I’ll be going back to Texas in September.
I’m not sure how long I’ll be there, but I know I’ll get to see some kids and one Little Bit.

I miss you already, Daughter #3. And I’m so thankful that I was blessed to have these last couple of years with you.
I’m excited for what lies ahead for you.
God IS good.

I’ll see you soon.

Much love,
Mom