jessee's spot

We moved Kara to NYC this weekend.

It's funny, it feels very final.

It's weird, having kids in such different stages -- Kara, graduated from college and starting her own life, and then on the other end, Brooke losing another tooth and starting first grade.  The two in the middle of course, hitting all sorts of stages themselves.

moving mode, in front of new the apartment

Kara is actually renting an apartment with a girl she graduated from high school with, Elizabeth.  Elizabeth's family lived next door to ours in our first house, and the two girls pretty much spent every day together, playing Barbies or house, walking to school together,  playing in the yard, dancing and singing on the porch.  In high school, they sort of drifted away from each other.  The, though they both went to the same college, they never really hung out.

Funny how they connected back up.  Elizabeth already has a job in the city.  A summer internship at a record label lead to a job offer, so she's out there working every day.  She says it's really cool, and she's met some pretty high profile musicians, even singing back up on some recordings.

So right about now, Kara is putting her feelers out, trying to figure out what to do next.  She has some great contacts in her field, but she needs to get a job.  Her savings wont last forever in NYC, that's for sure.

I'm freaking out.  Her place is in a decent area, but it's still city to a country kid.  

So anyway, we spent Friday night cramming every thing Kara owns (and some things that I own, actually) into this nice new box truck that a friend lent us.  We took a few of Elizabeth's things too -- however Elizabeth is a minimalist, and Kara is the opposite of a minimalist.  A hoarder maybe?  Where Elizabeth could live out of a duffel bag, Kara had loads and loads of clothes and shoes and boots and seriously, it's a little on the ridiculous side.   

We met up with Elizabeth's parents and headed out in the morning. It was definitely an all day affair.    Unloading the truck, carrying everything up to a third floor apartment, cleaning and then setting up the place.  Before long it was after dinner and we had to head out. 

Driving away was hard.  I'm nervous.  I want Kara to be safe and make smart choices.  I want her to find a job and meet new people and have fun.  And man, coming home and seeing the emptiness that had been her space was weird.  It was all cleaned out, just a few misc things left for me to box up and store.

I guess this is what empty nests feel like...

Sheesh.  One kid down, three to go I guess.  I have another 15 years or so til it's really empty around here, but I am suddenly realizing how fast time goes.