My children recently went back to college for their senior and junior year. One is in Dallas and one is in Charlottesville. They were both home for the Summer. There is something about having your children under the same roof when you go to sleep at night; although there were nights they came in very late and I was already asleep. Every time they leave to go back to school I feel so sad and it’s particularly hard when they leave at the end of summer. There is no more “mom I need or mom can you or mom where is ….” No more buying extra groceries or doing extra laundry; things I really did not enjoy when they lived here full time. I miss the sound of their voices filling the house. I especially looked forward to the hugs I would get and I realized I might have held on a little too long. I found myself savoring every moment with them, making breakfast, buying extra things at the grocery store they loved as a child. I loved seeing their faces every morning when they left for their summer internships even when they were in a rush to get out the door. The sound of their voices and their friends’ voices permeating through the house made me feel so warm inside. The house was filled with love, laughter and connection. How I wish I could have the time back when we laid in bed and watched cartoons during summer vacation and I made chocolate chip pancakes or when we went on an adventure which was just a drive somewhere fun. So many little moments that gave me the gift of so many big and wonderful memories. Time has gone by like a blink of the an eye. So I will continue to try to fill the hole left in this house and in my heart by their departure. I treasure each moment I have with them even if it is a brief conversation on the phone or a text. They are precious gifts given to my by God and I will be eternally grateful. I hope one day they will truly understand how much I love them.