Bye Bye Birdie

I'm still tired out from Thursday's early morning trip to take Frankie to school. She and I left in her car around 7 am. We jammed her car as full as we could get it and left, with Dad following us a little later in a borrowed Explorer (thanks Shawn!!) carrying the fridge and the big suitcases.
Based on last year's experience we figured that the lines to check-in would be long and slow, but apparently at this school things are more laid back and people take their time over the four check in days to show up. So we whizzed right through and got the key and the student id. Dad joined us just as we were ready to start unpacking so that went fast. There were many people lined up to help as well, which was so nice. Luckily, she's on the ground floor. Being organized, we had her room set up within an hour! This is just a fraction of it, but you can see its all neat and tidy. Probably the last time. Its a huge room, really almost like a studio apartment. And no roommate!
After we unpacked we went out for some lunch, then hit Target for some last minute odds and ends to finish hanging pictures and organize things. There was also a GROSS shower curtain that we replaced with something cute, of course!
That's when she decided to take a nap, and we decided to go get her a TV, like the devoted parents we are. We truck off to Circuit City and of course the TV we want is out of stock. They offered our second choice, more expensive, at the same cost. We pack it up and head back. We get the dolly back out of the truck, pack the whole thing down to the far end where her room is, unpack it and it's damaged. We pack it back up, head back and get a new TV.. Kind of look into the box before we go even. You can see this coming a mile away.. we unpack it in the room DAMAGED. Back in the box, back to Circuit City where they upgrade her to an even bigger TV and FINALLY we got that set up.
What makes this even funnier in that pathetic way is after we got the TV set up, we pulled out the bathroom cabinet to assemble and the pieces aren't the right size so it won't go together. It was late by then so we packed it up, went to dinner, said our good-byes and then dropped her off.
It was a lovely day though and we all enjoyed ourselves. She loves her new place, she just called me to tell me she was eating a dinner made in her room. Rice and ham, all cooked in the rice cooker! She's got a fridge and a microwave so she's safe if the dining hall food is too gross. She has a nice big tv with tons of cable channels. I'm talking everything but premium movies! I'm happy for her and glad that she has this almost-apartment experience while still safe in a dorm situation. (well as safe as that is)
When I think of all the kindergarten moms out there I can remember thinking then that I'd never ever be able to let her go to the 5th grade week at camp, but then 5th grade came and I could.. so I guess we all grow and learn to let go. A tiny bit at a time.