September - Off to College

Xela started school in the middle of September. After an earlier college application crisis regarding her acceptance to The School of Art in Chicago (SAIC) and its scholarship (which wasn't a full ride as we originally assumed), she decided to go to BYU Idaho and move in day was Sept 14.

After several months of harassing her to make plans for the move, we finally had plans and they came to fruition on Wednesday Sept 12. That morning, Xela and I picked up the rental car at 7:30 Wednesday morning, with the purpose of her packing it while I was at work so we could leave as soon as possible after I got home. Xela had it packed and then Eric apparently unloaded and repacked the van. That didn't make her very happy. Anyway, I got home, we packed the last of the items, loaded food, said family prayer and we started out on our 26+ hour drive.

I started out driving and the sunset was BEAUTIFUL!! I only took one and then Xela took the camera from me so I could be an undistracted driver. The picture does NO justice to the sunset's color and majesty.

We drove the night through and stopped in Salt Lake to spend Thursday night. We got five - six hours of sleep before getting up early to make the last four hour stretch of our drive to Rexburg.

I had to take this picture;
it's a LONG drive,
even if you're passengering

We arrived in Rexburg about 8 - 8:30, found her house and started unpacking.

Xela's bedroom is the rectangular window

Unpacking and trying to find a place for everything...

...it's a small space...

...but everything found a spot.

After the unpacking, Xela had to go get her I-Card so that she could get her books. Her house is a five minute walk to campus - fabulous location - so off we went. The long line went faster than I thought it would....

Printed cards tossed on the table
for the freshman to find

...and we got her books and headed back to her house...

Books in tow, headed home

...where she dropped things off. It was close to 1:30 when she was supposed to meet her "Get Connected" group, which consisted of freshman (maybe 10??) with two mentors. She was gone for three hours. I wanted to go to the temple; it would have been perfect timing, but when I looked it up...

...under renovation. Drat. Now we had three hours to kill. We got a bike helmet for Xela and then hung out in the van in her house's driveway. We had dropped her off at her gathering place for this "Get Connected" tour, but I hadn't given her a good by hug before we dropped her off at the Cafe Rio, so I wasn't about to leave for home.

She got back around five and then we went grocery shopping. The Walmart was CROWDED! The shelves were ransacked, but I guess that is to be expected when thousands of people descend to drop off their children for college. Xela had brought money to pay for groceries, but Eric said we would pay for it as a last thing we could do before we left.

Got back to her apartment, unloaded groceries and then there was a talent show that was only for new freshman. The Get Connected group was meeting again at the Cafe Rio at 7:00. Before driving her to the drop off point, I made sure I got a hug. I will admit that I got teary-eyed with that last hug, and then watching her jump out of the car to her new independent college life.

I know she is a good kid and will make good decisions, but I also know I will miss not seeing her every day. Thankfully we have the benefits of modern technology and quick communication so I can reach out to her in instant ways. I love my sweet Xela and look forward to the woman she will become in the next few years.