Settling In

Mary Beth and I visited Kelsey at the University of New Hampshire this past weekend for Family weekend. We all had a very nice time. We left on Friday morning -- we both took the day off and we took Lizzie out of school -- headed for Rochester, NH to see a horse that Mary Beth was interesting in possibly buying. We arrived at the barn in the late afternoon and the girls took turns riding the horse. She was big and good-looking, but there was clearly something wrong with her right hind leg, so Mary Beth decided to pass.

We arrived in Durham in time to take Kesley out to dinner. Even though the food is excellent at UNH, most students crave an off campus meal. We went to Applebee's in Newington for a fine dinner of "comfort" food. We learned that Kelsey is settling in; she has 4 or 5 good friends, a job two days a week, and a routine and rhythm to her life. Her classes are not as overwhelming as she once thought, her first few quizzes have proven to her she can compete academically. All is well except that she desperately misses her high school boyfriend Dave Flynn. Boy, does she miss Dave!

Things are settling in with Mary Beth and me. We are becoming more comfortable with new patterns at home. I have my SUV back and get the luxury of choosing which car to drive in the morning. Meals for 4 are now the norm and clean up seems a tad bit easier. There is less competition for the home computers and less fighting over the TV. We speak to Kelsey every couple of days by cell phone and I see her frequent updates on Facebook and Twitter. Not quite the same as seeing her everyday, but it's enough to sustain me.

And even Jack seems to be settling in and taking his school work and chores at home more seriously. He wants a new computer and is willing to do more work at home to build his nest egg. He usually knocks off his homework before we even get home and seems more engaged in his classes. Only the report card will tell us for sure. He needs a 3.0 GPA to qualify for the "good student discount" from our insurance company. The discount is worth almost $1,600 and without it he will not be allowed to get his license. Carrots are better than sticks.

A new phase has begun for all of us and we all seem to be making the adjustment. Change is constant -- don't get comfortable.