Welcome to Texas Tech!!

Well it is official.......we are part of the Red Raider family as of Friday afternoon about 2:30 pm. I am a little overwhelmed. Katie has wanted to go to Tech for as long as she has been old enough to know that she wanted to "for sure" go to college. And as most of you know, we wanted her to stay here a year to "get her feet under her" before we sent her THOUSANDS of miles away....okay only 200 miles or so but still. So, she has fulfilled her frantic family requirement and now she has been accepted into a Division I school WAY UP in the Panhandle FAR from home. We went up this last week for orientation and let me say that it was quite an eye opener. The first thing they told us (the parents) was to "relax" AND "release". In other words, GET OUT OF THE WAY AND LET YOUR CHILD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR COLLEGE EDUCATION. Of course MY FIRST THOUGHT was......yeah but I'm paying the bill. But as they continued to speak, I realized that what they were saying made sense. When she goes in August, I won't be there to hold her hand, or help her with decisions or TELL HER WHAT TO DO!! Kind of disconcerting for what I like to call "hands on" parenting which Katie likes to call "mom, I can't breathe, your arms are suffocating me" parenting. Anyhow........as they began to talk about the enormity of her college education..how many kids actually finish, and what percentage actually pursue their degree without having to start over, and how many are successful, I began to feel a little overwhelmed. Had I been Katie, I would have RAN back to the car and to Angelo State University, hearth and home. But she was not deterred in the least. When we got through with the degree plan for becoming a lawyer, I asked her if she was still sure and she confidently said yes. As I took a break outside, by myself, I saw literally hundreds of students going around the campus to class, or jobs, or some jogging, or just hanging out. NOT ONE OF THEM was crying or vomiting. In fact, the only person I could find who felt a little nauseous was ME. So, when it was all over, I asked Katie how she felt and she said I am excited and can't wait to get here. I said "me, too" because that is what a Red Raider mom would say. But inside I thought.........oh my gosh what have we done? So, there you have it. She is going to Tech in August. I am proud. I am scared. I am already a little lonely. But I came home with a "Texas Tech mom T-shirt." As for Katie................she is counting the days.