Dropped my ds off at University of Idaho this week, and it feels good! He's a great kid, dh and I will miss having him around, but I also feel good that we managed to send off a kind, competent young man out into the world. Kinda like when you sell a horse you've trained from halter breaking to 2nd level and they go on to have a successful career with the new owners. In theory, this is even better though, cuz I'll always get to see him even if it's from afar, and he'll always be my son.
The best part about this is that I have no worries about where he is or how things will go because I know he has a good head on his shoulders and is perfectly capable of managing his own affairs. The only time I teared up was when he hugged his dog goodbye and handed the leash over so I could walk Nigel back to the hotel room. Poor Nigel knew something was up and lobbied during the whole trip for Paul to let him stay, but once that leash was passed over, he accepted that Paul was leaving. Dogs don't know if or when their master will be back, they simply have to accept that they're gone. Nigel is 9; all he's ever known is being ds's bestest dog ever. So now I look forward to Thanksgiving or Christmas, when ds comes home and Nigel sees him again. 
) No more 4-H projects to get done for fair ever again...otoh, I'll still be a leader so I can experience parental stress vicariously I guess. Shuffling those giant turkeys, however, did a number on my back so I had to kinda lay low the rest of the day. Sunday I finished cleaning out ds's room so now you can walk on the floor and see that he has a really nice futon couch in there!