Well, it finally happenedโฆ Isabelle moved into the dorms at Michigan State University and I am no longer her Freshman roommate.๐ I miss hearing her go over her Arabic vocabulary words and listening into her online classes about nature and conservation โ NOT! ๐ Actually, the topics on the surface seem super boring but were quite interesting as I had the advantage of taking classes with no homework โ ha.๐คฃ
Everyone asked me how I thought I would handle it when she moved out. My answer was always the same, I think I will be fine โ she is ready. ๐๐ปIsabelle and I enjoyed a few more months together due to the pandemic and MSU postponing students on campus. ๐ท She was disappointed but I found it quite fun to have more time with her. We had developed kind of a back-and-forth annoyance with one another. She would drive me crazy when she decided to cook in the kitchen and not notice the mess, she made โฆ and I would bug her when I became too clingy wanting to hang with her.๐คWe watched movies together and she had the need to pop her shoulder, crack her knuckles and every other joint in her body which makes me cringe.๐ฆต๐ปI would try to hug and kiss her, and she would repel like I had the plague.๐ I finally realized that her love language is wrestling when she would take me to the ground unexpectedly. ๐คผโโ๏ธ I owe thanks to Robin who raised her like a boy as I try to stand up again from a body slam. ๐ฅด Anyways, I would not change anything โ we have our unique understanding of one another and that makes us tight. ๐ฉโโค๏ธโ๐ฉ
The night before her scheduled move in, I became overwhelmed with sadness which surprised me a little.โน๏ธ I began thinking about Robin and how he was supposed to be here with me, and we were going to start our next chapter together.๐I felt bad that he would miss this major milestone seeing his little girl go off to college. And I think if I am being honest, I was mad that I was probably going to have to schlep heavy boxes up to her 4th floor dorm room by myself.
The next morning was move in day and we woke up to crappy weather (figures) of wet slushy snow that adds to experience for sure.โ๏ธโ๏ธโ๏ธ Isabelle drove separately and I followed in my car with all her stuff โ listening to sappy music and going through memory lane. ๐ผ๐ปThe move-in was well organized and COVID-19 safe. I pulled up and there were bins available to load and take up to the room. I looked around, seeing all the parents together moving in their kids โ no I am not going to cry! ๐ข๐ฅบWe quickly unloaded and started organizing and decorating her room. She had a friend there to help which was so sweet. ๐As I was in her room, I thought I was going to suffocate between wearing the mask and the temperature (it was like 75 degrees in the room). ๐ฅ๐ท
Isabelle focused on the priorities like putting up her fairy lights and hanging posters while I made her bed (something my mom always told me to do first). I then turned to her bathroom in horror. ๐ฑAt first, I tried to ignore the filth and figured she would handle it โ then I realized it was my responsibility to get that bathroom to a clean baseline and then she was on her own after that. ๐ฝ๐ช ๐งป๐งดIt was so gross โ I CANNOT EVEN โฆ.shocking experience especially around the toilet โ need I say more?๐
After about an hour, Isabelleโs friends came over to see her room (masks on). She was showing them around and I just observed – she is ready. She has the skills, attitude to make it on her own in the dorms. And I realized this is not sad IT IS JUST TIME for me to leave. ๐ I walked out the room proud that Robin and I raised her well and knew things were going to be fine. No emotions or regret โฆ IT WAS ALL GOOD. ๐๐ปโ๐ป I had imagined this milestone was going to be sadder than what actually happens in realityโฆ I was relieved, at peace and ready to get home. That was it …no tearsโฆ drop the mike itโs a wrap!๐๐โค๏ธ๐