Empty Nest Stress

 All day Saturday I made mental notes about getting The Boy off to the airport the following night: Sunday night.  Graham has a friend who is flying out w/ him, so I called HIS mother to touch base about trips to the airport, etc.  After a few minuted discussing planes, trains, and automobiles, it came to light that their flight was NOT Sunday, it was tonight!  And everyone but me seemed to be aware of this.  EVEN THOUGH I WENT THROUGH THE ENTIRE WEEK SAYING THAT "GRAHAM LEAVES ON SUNDAY".  Nobody bothered correcting me.

This, in addition to the fact that Graham made his own airline reservation for the Christmas trip home, the maturity of which I was very proud, until he discovered that his flight gets him to Seattle after all the known transportation to Bellingham closes for the evening.  Cut to the chase: he would miss his first class or two of the new quarter, the following morning.  He emailed his profs, and one of them replied w/ a shuttle that Graham had not heard of, but is planning to take, he and his friend Taylor.  It will get them to the Bellingham airport at 2:30 am, and from there they will take a cab to Graham's dorm, and I am oh so sure that his roommate will be REALLY tickled to have that commotion going on, his first night back. 

OK. So where was I?

As we were driving home from the airport, I started in on my maudlin empty-nest thoughts of how all three kids are adults with lives of their own, and how quiet our holiday house will be (because it's not 12th Night until, well, THE 12th NIGHT (Wednesday) and so I still have some celebrating to get out of my system.)

Upon arriving in our drive (not even getting the gate open yet!), my phone rings.  Daughter #2: her upstairs neighbor's pipes broke and water was streaming down her neighbor's ceiling & wall (but not hers, not yet), and there was 3" of water standing in his apt.  All I said was "Set the piano on blocks and open your kitchen and bathroom sink cupboards!"

No sooner, I kid you not, than I hung up from her, but the phone rings:  The Boy.  In Denver.  He thought he forgot his keys (dorm, car, you name it.)  Yes, indeedy, he did.  They are in our kitchen.  But he called his roommate, so all was well, he says.  And could I send his keys, please?

But then he called a second time: His connection to Seattle is delayed for 2 hours, and they will miss the shuttle to Bellingham.  BUT!  He had presence of mind to call his cousin and they are taking a cab to her apt in Seattle till morning.   His words, "Well, Taylor is an adult and I am an adult, so 2 adults should be able to get along just fine.  No need to stress!"

Right.
Actually, my mother is right:

Motherhood never ends.  Ever.

Postscript, 6:45 am Tuesday:  I think I get it now.  I think the three kids put their heads together over the holidays and said something like, "Let's make sure Mom feels really really needed at the end of the holidays!"  Yes, that's what they must have done.  Daughter #1 called bright & early this morning from Chicago: she had rolled her car window down (I do not know why; it is 15º in Chicago.) as she started her 9-hr. drive back to Kansas, and now it will not roll up again...


More holiday...tomorrow!