Probably not the first or the last post on this topic

I love my family and everything that is our life- watching my babies grow, experiencing parenthood with my best friend who happens to be a great spouse, having a home and a dog and some money……

But sometimes I have an amazingly strong ache for four short and exhilarating years called “college”.

I think that I might appreciate teaching college so much because deep inside I wish I were still there. It is finally spring and today as I walked across the blooming campus alive with students in shorts I felt the nostalgia hit. As I sat in the coffee house grading papers in between classes, it hit harder (nevermind that the students behind me were completely hungover, and not wanting to study for their afternoon exam sat recounting tales of the night before) and then on the drive home I was actually laughing out loud in my car thinking back to old times.

I am not a freak. I know, because all my college girlfriends CLAIM that this happens to them too. We simply had a great group of friends and a seriously great time. There were also lots of tears and bouts of stress and all-nighters and growing up, but mostly, there was just fun (though that word does not suffice). I miss it. I am glad it is done because I have my family but I still mourn its passing nearly every single day.

I would LOVE for one day to wake up in Willer Hall to Kei flying into the room late to take a shower and get to class, walk into the common room to find Bernadette still on the couch asleep (fourth position) from overnight studying and head to lunch in the café with Amy and Mya. Later, I would meet Kerstin to work on a philosophy paper and walk with her to choir where Aaron would be waiting. Eventually I would have a great musical rehearsal/choreography session with Drew and after practice, us ladies would head to Spring Street or the Abbey and reminisce about how much we miss Holly and wish she would come visit. Notice I left out the insane amount of studying that probably was sandwiched in there somewhere- not important in my fake QU flashback J

Instead, I wake to babies crying, but really truly, that is okay because ten seconds later they are giving me hugs and singing me songs and in that respect, it is not much different than a good college night out. College molded me and made me but these kids are my legacy. Someday they will ‘go forth’ and meet their own incredible friends and make life memories. Above all, college made this family possible, because it delivered me Aaron and for that alone, the tuition was worth it.

Halloween Senior Year at Quincy University