BALL STATE FRESHMAN TO BE

Hard to believe that Caleb is going to be a junior at Wabash College in a few weeks.

Harder to believe that Hannah will be a Sophomore at Olivet Nazarene University.

Hardest to believe that Samuel will be a freshman at Ball State University.

Today was one of those bittersweet days as a parent - Samuel's orientation at Ball State in Muncie, Indiana. This is our family's third year in a row to push a kid out of the nest. Each time it feels so very wrong.

And so very right. 

Neither Melissa nor I (not to mention Samuel, for that matter) have spent much time on Ball State's campus before this point, so it was excellent to see what's there and to get a glimpse of all the opportunities that lie before Samuel beginning next month. 

It is a beautiful campus and the day's activities were well-organized and informative - all very reassuring for us parents. 

Samuel seemed to feel very much at home and left campus with his first semester schedule in hand and a burning desire to get started. 

Fortunately (for us), we still have him at home for another five weeks or so.

All the same, it's "official" now and we feel it ...

On the way home, Samuel fell deep asleep and I told Melissa, "If I had known he was going to fall asleep on the way home, I would have had him change into his jammies before we started the drive."

I snuck a picture as I drove ...

Fortunately, he woke up before we pulled into the drive so I didn't have to carry him into the house and put him in his bed...