Now that my daughter is home from college, I can’t believe it has been 9 months since she packed her bags and headed out the door to start the next chapter of her life. Leaving me behind to reevaluate my mine.
We were both putting on quite a front to mask our fear of the unknown that was lurking around the bend, but the moment would come when we had to face the reality. It hit my daughter when we were about to leave after setting up her dorm. As for me…well, lets just say…I’ve had my moments.
Honestly, it seems like yesterday when she called to tell me her hair was falling out, followed by frantic call #2 informing me of her full body rash and Jeez I can’t forget the photos of the spider bite that caused her calf to swell. Oh, we didn’t even touch on how “disgusting” the food was at school and therefore she wasn’t eating. Yep, the first 6 weeks certainly had me teetering on the edge of my breaking point, to say the least. What’s a mother to do?
What you want and what you get are very different.
Well, on week one this mother made a road trip to buy some edible grub, treat her daughter to a big meal, fill her head with words of motherly wisdom, then drive home.
Week three was making arrangements for her to see a doctor regarding the “rash” which turned out to be bed bug bites. Oh, yea! A fumigated room, new mattresses and a Z-Pac later, life was good again.
The goodness ended late into week 4 when I received a photo of the “spider bite” that took over much of her calf, not to mention her room was full of hair that belonged on her head, not on the floor.
The last straw was the excessive cell phone usage with the boyfriend she left behind…oh, Mt. Lisa was on the verge of erupting. No one knew when, but it would be soon, very soon.
During the percolating stage of Mt. Lisa, I went to the pharmacy and stocked up on Neosporin, aspirin, vitamins, calcium supplements, band-aides, cough drops and notes of encouragement. I proceeded to pack up a box and headed to the post office one sunny morning on my way to work.
I was already running late, but I wanted this care package to arrive before the weekend. So, I rush into the post office, marched right up to the clerk and start explaining my need for this box to arrive ASAP, along with my concern about the way the box is taped and addressed. During this state of percolation, it probably sounded more like blah, blah, blah, blah. Little did I know.
After my spiel the clerk looks right at me and says something that was completely incoherent. Why? … Because she is a deaf-mute. Lord knows in this moment, no one could have ever predicted what was about to happen next. Mt. Lisa gave the term “going postal” a whole new meaning.
Before everyone starts thinking “she’s so horrible” and “the poor woman was disabled”… she started it! There was NO sign stating that she could not hear and to this day I think her and the co-worker plotted the whole thing. No one was in there at the time, so I was a perfect candidate. I have no proof, just my suspicions.
Well, needless to say, this is where it happened…Mt. Lisa erupted … into laughter. Not just any laughter, but 6 weeks of pent-up 
emotional laughter. The borderline crazy laughter, followed by tears, pee and the inability to breathe or speak. The clerk just stared at me while her co-worker/accomplice mustered up a very weak “are you ok?” For god sakes at this point, unless you’re a medical professional this is a dangerous question.
I later learned the woman has worked at this branch for years and everyone knows that she is deaf and follows suit with written instructions. NEWS FLASH: “Everyone” didn’t know.
My daughter and I have both grown over the last nine months. While she is beginning the search for her place in this world, I am trying desperately to regain mine. Either way, we’re both learning to get along with the new and improved versions of ourselves, one long day at a time. Nothing good ever comes easy, apparently we are heading for GREATNESS.
Mt. Lisa remains dormant (for now) while she tries very hard to … Enjoy the Ride!
Life With The Top Down 
It was so much easier when they were toddlers ….
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Safe and sound in the crib. Breastfeeding and diapers were a dream!!
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I’m in the same space with my 17 year old whose personality has just returned after being kidnapped by aliens. I have come to appreciate that we are learning together (he has just got his drivers licence) and none of it is easy. But if you are going to blow, laughter is the way to go! Have you been back to the post office since?
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I keep hearing all of this is “normal” …yes, I’ve been back. I’m sure they all sit around watching the security tape every day!!
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I think you handled yourself pretty well considering the bed bugs and everything! If we don’t get a little crazy at the post office where do we get crazy?
My college is a few miles away from my house, so I live at home for now. My mother has yet to erupt. Should be……er interesting when she does
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I must say that your tale wins the contest — bedbugs and all!
Twenty years ago my stepdaughter went to school 3 states away (5 hours). The first 6 weeks were awful. Monumental phone bills to both her mother and her father. The frantic search for a way to come home each weekend. She hated everything about her college. When she came home for Christmas break, she had decided to transfer to a closer school. Soooo….after all the work of transfering, getting a place to stay, yada yada, she decided that she missed her old college and wanted to go back there. Her wise dad said, “you can go anywhere you want but you have to do the transfer work and get a place to stay.” Fortuantely, she did and never missed a day of school. She never came home to live again (not even for summer vacation) and currently lives there quite happily. Go figure!
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Sophia will be going away to college in August. I told her 2 weeks ago I was buying her her own mattress. She looked at me like I was insane (which happens at least twice a day), thanks so much for providing me with written proof that I am right! Not to mention a much needed laugh, with you not at you! 🙂
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Oh, it was an insane 6 weeks. Emily is never ever sick, perfect attendance for 10 years…so all these bizarre things in a 6 week period was a bit much. The bed bug thing had us INSANE…fill Sophia in on that horror!
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I love the concept of “Mt. Lisa” – I definitely have had my own share of Mt. Moments with a son in college and a daughter in high school. A perfect post describing freshman year. How is reentry going?????
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Reentry as in when a space craft returns to earth through flames…yep, it’s the same. Week 3 is getting better, but it’s not easy.
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Ah the joys and insanities of motherhood.. I did this x4 (ye I have 4 daughters) and while I love them dearly, THANK GOODNESS they are on their own..(They all turned out really good so there is hope Mom)
thsi was funny.. sorry but laughter is all we have sometimes or we do erupt!!
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4????? dear god there must be a statue of you somewhere so the other mothers of daughters can come to worship. I know I’ll survive, my mom has 3 girls and my sister and I are 15 months apart. Our teenage years could be compared to cage fighting.
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haha. too funny.. surprisingly enough my girls never fought because they knew Mom only had one good nerve left..lol
did I mention my last child (#5) was a boy..:-)
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5 (testosterone is a joy)??????!!! Now I know there is a statue or the kids better be erecting one very soon.
I’m hanging onto that nerve right now and they better know it!
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I can’t believe you have a daughter. I thought you were 18. Well, maybe you’re from the south and gave birth early. Sweet and funny, vivid. Love the photos.
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Hahahaha! 18 mentally but 48 physically. Thanks!
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I can relate with a daughter currently in college. I’m happy that she’s back home for the summer.
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