<p>I am ready for Thanksgiving! :D</p>
<p>When does this get easier?</p>
<p>Weenie:
When they stop bringing their laundry home with them.</p>
<p>Ha! Well, if he’s smart he’ll only do carry-on on the plane, so I figure with his lap top, his books and a small duffel he won’t have much room for laundry.</p>
<p>YES!!! This is the longest my D has been gone. Even though I talk to her either online or on the phone, I need to give her a hug!!</p>
<p>This must be the bewitching time. My S hasn’t been home and we haven’t visited since August…and even he finally said he was looking forward to a big hug!..Can’t wait for Thanksgiving. We’ve all been so busy with school and work we didn’t have time to miss each other, but it’s beginning to feel like forwever…</p>
<p>Yes, S has never been away from home this long (since mid-August), and we haven’t seen him since the day we dropped him off at the dorms for Orientation Week. We talk on the phone occasionally (he’s not much of a phone talker) and email (he’s not as good at getting back to us) but that’s about it. I did get a great pdf photo of him with John Edwards after the former VP candidate came to his school a couple weeks ago. S’s smile in that pic is worth ALL of the angst of last year’s college app process and it’s now the background on my computer at work, which reminds me of S every day and makes me think he is HAPPY all the time (even if it’s not true). So that was sort of like seeing him. </p>
<p>I haven’t gone into his room at home yet for any length of time but am planning to do so to freshen it up for him for Thanksgiving. That way it won’t seem so sad that he’s not there anymore, because I’ll be anticipating him being home. The only thing I’m a bit worried about and am getting mentally prepared for is that I think he’s going to be more interested in connecting with high school friends over the 3.5 days he’ll be home than reconnecting with Dad, Mom and younger Sis. I read the posts last Thanksgiving here on CC and it seems like that the kids really were out o’ the house a lot more than home with folks. </p>
<p>There’s also four grandparents who want to spend time with him. Me? I sort of wish I could just jump in the car and head out of town with him on Thanksgiving for about a 2 hour solo drive so I would have his undivided attention and he would fill me in on what college has been like for him (he was always the most conversant on long car drives). I’m sure that’s not going to happen. </p>
<p>I think the real catching up will probably be done over winter break at the end of December. Thanksgiving will have to be the appetizer, I suppose. </p>
<p>When do all of your kiddos get in? Mine is coming in Wednesday night before Thanksgiving around 7 p.m. and leaving Sunday a.m. (by plane both ways).</p>
<p>No…not here. He is home for a week and I think we had real good quality time. He seems to be doing fine - might have lost few pounds from his already skinny body (couldn’t have lost more - bones and muscles can’t lose weight). Seems to have great roommate, have met and found nice group of friends, have become RESPONSIBLE (does weekly laundary), plans ahead, has to work hard - but is not stressed out. Generally, is happy.</p>
<p>That makes us happy.</p>
<p>(from tommorrow we start counting down for Xmas)</p>
<p>Mine got a free ticket to fly to CA from Wi on Thanksgiving Day! He will visit my folks and sisters etc. They will celebrate the day after Thanksgiving. Then he got a half free ticket to fly home for the winter break when I get to see him on the other side of the world! The good thing is the internet. I don’t feel so cut off from my son because of it.</p>
<p>Mine isn’t flying back for T’giving, unfortunately… It’s just really too far to fly MA-CA-MA when you only have 4 days off and the first of those days is Thanksgiving day. But he will be Amtrak-ing down from Boston to NJ to spend the weekend with my brother and his wife’s family, so at least he won’t be alone in a dorm all weekend.</p>
<p>Christmas break. That’s what I’m looking forward to.</p>
<p>I miss my son! He will be flying home for Thanksgiving, thanks to my aunt. She did the same thing for my older son his first Thanksgiving in college. (What a sweetheart!)</p>
<p>Thankfully, he has been much better at calling home than he said he would be. It may just be a call to complain about homework or ask if he can charge a couple CD’s on my credit card, but still… 
He does make a long call on the weekends to catch up on things. In fact, he just called a little bit ago. Life is going good, and he met this wonderful girl. He says he may actually have his first girlfriend by Thanksgiving! (Then he will probably NOT be as anxious to spend time at home…)</p>
<p>It will be SO nice to see him!</p>
<p>My S is counting the days. Yesterday he said it had been 3 months since he’s been home. I know he misses his room and his home because we just went up for a visit last month. I’ll have all the scented candles lit for sure!</p>
<p>I bet marite does not have this problem.</p>
<p>I like the fact that my son’s school has had NO days off yet (even labor day) and so they get off the whole week of Thanksgiving. So, he’ll be home the Friday before Thanksgiving. Make it a little more worth spending the money on the ticket.</p>
<p>At the risk of offending everyone on this thread, don’t you guys think you are going a little overboard?</p>
<p>I have read so many very, very long threads about some parent missing their child who is away at college. I understand you miss them and all, but come on…</p>
<ol>
<li><p>I can’t go into his/her room because it will make me cry</p></li>
<li><p>I’ve been depressed since he/she left</p></li>
<li><p>Let’s start a support group!</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Maybe I’ll feel differently when I have kids, but I really don’t see that happening.</p>
<p>When I was what I assume to be your age, I “knew” I wasn’t even going to HAVE children. Things change.</p>
<p>Actually mootmom,</p>
<p>I am an 80 year old woman who wanted to wait awhile till I had kids - no need to rush things :)</p>
<p>that was hilarious …</p>
<p>Simba:
No, I don’t have this problem. And he does not bring his laundry home. He tells me he does it on a weekly basis, and I believe him, if only because he’s lost so many socks (they’re not under the bed, he says). I anticipate hosting roommate for Thanksgiving, so I’ve been reading the recipe thread :)</p>
<p>Mootmom: I know at least 3 local guys at MIT. In fact, some of them have homes within spitting distance of campus.</p>
<p>I’ve been through this “longing for a hug” at Thanksgiving with two kids now, and for a total of 7 years. I do have to gloat a little, though.
My soph D is attending an LAC that has their break from the Monday before Thanksgiving through January 3. Yippee!</p>
<p>marite, I should have thought about that possibility! But my brother seems eager for my son to “keep him company” at his in-laws for T’giving dinner so I think things will work out this year at least. ;)</p>