@albert69 You have plenty of time to get that license.
I’d go fly gliders with the girl. Makes you a better pilot, anyway.
@Mom24boys, I am sorry you and your family are going through such difficult times. I hope you get more positive news soon.
We are back from orientation and registration…for college! This is feeling more and more real! She got most of the classes she wanted to register for, just not the exact times she was hoping for, but a pretty good schedule. They got to go ahead an register for the spring term too…That one may need some more tweaking, but there is time for that. She also got her dorm room assignment and the names of her roommates while we were there. So, of course we did the dorm tour again, this time knowing right where she will be! She is very excited about the dorm, and the shopping has begun! $-)
Mom24boys I am so sorry that you are going through this.
Albert I agree with JustOneDad
Shoboemom it sounds like your D’s choice of college is working out for both of you. Your post has an upbeat and exciting tone to it. So glad orientation went well!
School is officially done here. She is going in tomorrow morning just to review something with her teacher, and then next week is graduation. We are in the process now of making sure all APs and college courses get sent in.
Enjoy the day!
@shoboemom, my condolences on the death of your mother.
@Mom24boys Will be keeping your family in my thoughts.
My D graduated last Wednesday and this weekend went out looking for boxes to begin packing for college (move-in is in mid-August). We also went to Target on the first of what I anticipate will be many trips for everything from bandaids to sheets. Anyone else have a son or daughter who is starting to pack already? Maybe I should have anticipated this because she was always eager to go buy school supplies as soon as they hit the stores in July. I made it through graduation without crying, but seeing those boxes in her room is making her departure all too real.
Keeping both @shoboemom and @Mom24boys in my thoughts.
@Barbalot, that brought back a wave of memories for me. My D loved shopping for school supplies and I remember going to Target and Staples while summer was in full swing so that she could browse the aisles early on.
@twogirls, Yes I am feeling good about the college ‘choice’ and D has assured me (over and over, because I keep worrying about it) that she is fine with the decision. 
Being a part of the honors college will help. The orientation was just for Honors students, so she was able to see that there were some of ‘her people’ there, and now at least will see some familiar faces once she starts. She is also enjoying the less restrictive ‘budget’ for college shopping, which is perhaps the first perk for her that comes with choosing the financially smart college…that and the ‘allowance’ that she will have once there. 
@Barbalot, We now have a pile of ‘college stuff’ that we will need to start actually packing soon. Right now I think she likes being able to see it, and see how things go together, but we will need to start organizing the pile and packing up some of it (maybe just the non-decorative stuff) soon.
@shoboemom I am glad to hear that you and D are feeling good with choice. We are still dealing with back lash here from friends and their parents, and I keep getting “blamed” for having her look at other schools. I am hopeful that it will settle down. We have our HC only orientation this Friday and D will meet roommate face to face for the first time, she is excited. The money side does feel nice, met with my financial guy last week and he was shocked when I told him by budget for next year, that felt good!
We have started a pile on guest bed with gifts and things bought to pack for school, very exciting!
Oh no, we haven’t even started making of list of stuff I need to get yet let alone buying it… I guess I should get on that.
DS has barely started packing for his trip to England. He leaves Saturday, much less packing or shopping for college.
@albert69, I agree with @JustOneDad. You’ll get your license soon enough, then you’ll have it forever. But this is your last chance to go to the glider encampment with your girl. Have fun!
Thank you, @Barfly and @JustOneDad. Right now I am really bummed because I’m sick (I caught a cold that’s been going around)… I canceled my lesson tomorrow and don’t know when I’ll be well enough to fly. Of course, since I was with the pilot yesterday, he’s probably going to get sick too. At this rate I may not get my license this summer anyway… I might as well go to glider encampment.
Sorry you’re sick, @albert69, but I agree – go to glider encampment and enjoy the time with your girlfriend. Unless you are in line to have your own plane to fly yourself to college in August/September and that’s the only way you could possibly get there, you’ve got loads of time!
Considering we were frantically shopping for a few Philmont items two days before S left, I don’t think the college stuff will be acquired soon. His New Student Conference is July 6-8 – maybe it will seem real enough to him after that to start thinking about it. Meanwhile, I’ll do my usual Mom Research and figure out a list!
@Mom24boys and @shoboemom , thinking good thoughts for you and your families.
@albert69 would it help you make a decision if you counted up possible flight class dates on a calendar? The glider camp does sound inviting, though.
As for packing D has started gathering up her warmest clothes and has half a suitcase filled. When she went to her chosen school overnight on April 9 there was still some snow on the ground.
We do need to look at the list and make up our own. Fortunately we don’t need to find XL twin sheets since her school dorms have standard twins. At first I was happy that her orientation is scheduled for Aug 29, the week before class starts rather than earlier in the summer, but now I’m thinking it would give us more of a jump on preparing if it were early.
I have to say that the Philmont references are scaring me. S’18 gave up on Boy Scouts 2 years ago but I still remember how it took forever to collect needed items and pack his trunk for 1 week of camp.
No shopping going on here until after her party which isn’t until July 4th weekend. Then we will have a good grasp on items she still will need. Also won’t know dorm or roommate selection until the 3rd week of July so shopping for sheets will have to wait until then since there are some dorms with XL and some without.
On another note, I have not purchased a grad present yet. I was going to go the “whole basket of stuff for dorm” route, but I kind of did that for Christmas and it feels kind of like I’m wimping out. I thought about a bike, but wasn’t sure she would ride it since the campus is not that big. Any other thoughts on parent gifts for graduation? She has a smartphone and a tablet, new laptop so she is pretty set on the electronics. Other ideas?
@crepes I actually already did that, but it’s unpredictable because of weather and the fact that I am now sick, so the days are going to slip away without me flying. It could work, but it also could not.
@GoAskDad and @mom24boys - Thinking of you and sending good thoughts your way!
I started shopping this weekend. Wrestler is low maintenance. But his roommate’s mom and I are on the ball. Neither incoming student seems too concerned about room decor. (It was nice to be able to meet them at orientation.)
I got a great deal on some curtains and wall hangings at Kirklands. The Bed Bath and Beyond program won’t work well for us since the closest BB&B is in another state out of our way. Even if we pick up at Mizzou, the woman at BB&B said it would be a pain when traveling to go through the shipment to check if everything is there and then pack the car. (We rented a minivan).
I went to Kohl’s and Sam’s today. Even with the sales at Kohl’s, Sam’s was still the better deal (and better quality for the price). I got a 3" thick mattress topper, the sheets, and towels today. I also got some good surge protectors.
AP scores will be here soon. Wrestler bought his Calc III and physics texts already. We are in pretty good shape. But this summer is FLYING!!!
@albert69 - wrestler’s Best friend has his pilot’s license. Don’t be in a rush. You probably won’t have much time to fly once school starts anyway.
@albert69, there are a few great places to learn to fly, and finishing up a license is a great introduction to a new airport, I would think. Wichita, Kansas, home of Lear Jet (and other aviation companies) is certainly one of those good places. Why rush it? Use it as an introduction to your new home!!!
@ILMom13579. I am a year out yet (DD’16), but thinking something grown-up and personal that she can wear to the graduation ceremony and beyond (pearls?) would not be out of line to mark the occasion. How about a solid fountain pen and a great journal? Lamy makes some nice ones if Mont Blanc is out of range.