Nearly a college girl!
The envelope was big, white and emblazoned in red with a 48-point message of congratulations.
I couldn’t resist texting Catherine a photo of it — her first college acceptance letter — when I pulled it from the mailbox yesterday morning.
Oddly, she of the fast fingers didn’t reply to my message, but rather burst through the door after school at lightning speed.
“Why did you do that?! I couldn’t concentrate all day!” she said, then ripped into the envelope, from Salem State U in Massachusetts, and read their welcome letter aloud.
It’s not her top choice, but a place she liked a lot. It would be a good fit for her, and she would do well if that’s where she should end up.
“Did you tell Grandma and Aunt Jacquie?” she wanted to know.
“Nope; this is your news,” I told her.
In short order she snapped a photo of the letter and sent it through cyberspace, announcing the news to anyone using a mobile device.
But first she had to process it all. I had watched the anxiety ratchet up these last couple of weeks as some of her friends started to hear from schools they’d applied to.
Opening Salem State’s letter was like popping a balloon full of self-doubt.
“I’m going to college,” she said as the reality settled over her.
“Yes, you are!” I said, giving her a bear hug.
Somehow, it felt like I was embracing the little person in this picture:
Catherine and Basil walk to the bus stop on the first day of kindergarten.
Pushing on a Rope 
I am sooooooo proud of my “pumpkin “! And you guys should be proud of yourselves too. She didn’t get here entirely on her own!
I was doing the “happy dance ” but then the arthritis kicked in. So I’m sitting quietly grinning from ear to ear.
Catherine is the best granddaughter ever. Smart. Kind. Considerate. Funny. Clever. Loving. And gorgeous to boot!
Posted by mommy dearest | December 4, 2013, 9:15 am🙂
Yup! Guilty on all counts! Surely brought someone else’s kid home from the hospital….
Posted by Terri S. Vanech | December 4, 2013, 9:17 amShe IS on her way, Terri, and so are you! Best of luck to you both; Salem State is in a great part of Mass. Wherever she goes, I hope that she has the time of her life!
Posted by momshieb | December 3, 2013, 11:10 pmAww, thanks!
Posted by Terri S. Vanech | December 4, 2013, 5:31 amAnd Aunt Jacquie was so proud to hear the news!
Posted by Jacquie | December 3, 2013, 4:40 pm🙂
Posted by Terri S. Vanech | December 3, 2013, 4:44 pmTerri, this was a happy story until your last sentence sent me to tears….With my daughter soon to be turning 10, I am only at the very beginning of learning to ‘let go’. How will I survive?! Your stories of how you’re moving through this emergence encourage me and help me visualize the inevitable.
Congratulations! (it is her news certainly, but yours too!)
Posted by Jackie | December 3, 2013, 4:40 pmAww! Thanks so much! You are going to do just fine; I know it!
Posted by Terri S. Vanech | December 3, 2013, 4:44 pmmy daughter got her first 2 acceptances also…..not the top 2 choices, but like you said, it is a start! Crazy….
Posted by Joelle | December 3, 2013, 9:40 amCongrats to your daughter! Times sure change. Catherine keeps checking in to make sure I’m not kidding when I say I only applied to Pace all those years ago! Guess it’s a good thing they liked me!
Posted by Terri S. Vanech | December 3, 2013, 10:29 amand they can’t understand how we didn’t do all these road trips like they do! I just went blind.
Posted by Joelle | December 3, 2013, 10:33 amDitto! Amazing that we somehow managed to turn out OK anyway!
Posted by Terri S. Vanech | December 3, 2013, 10:34 am