Elle just called and is considering coming home for the weekend! She says she's NOT planning to come home every weekend or anything like that...and that she's LOVING college...but that she would like to sleep in her own bed at home and recharge her batteries for next week. I figure with the stress of getting used to so many things....and all the students coming in from all over the world...the chance of her catching a bug if she's feeling run down is pretty good. I think a weekend home would help her recharge and stay healthy by easing the transition a little. She's still undecided...but I am double crossing my fingers that she comes home. I would SO love to see her and talk about her exciting week more!
YAY! She's coming home She says she probably won't come home again until the first week of October....but I can live with that. Will see her this weekend. Will see her in the middle of September for Parent's weekend, and will see her in October for a weekend. Then we're on to Thanksgiving and home for a month for Christmas! THIS...I can handle! Feeling so much better about her being away! Also, she's said she really enjoys ending the day talking to me for a bit...and plans to make a ritual of it. Am so happy about this, too. LOVE saying "goodnight, I love you" every night. I sleep better! Her interview for the bio lab went fantastic! Will have an answer in a week Also, she has a Ronald McDonald House for families of critically ill kids at the University Hospital very near her dorm, and she's talking about doing a few hours of volunteer work for them every month. What a great idea! I'm going to bed a very happy mom tonight PS...it's particularly special to me that Elle's coming home this weekend because my mom is going to be a guest-pastor at our church on Sunday (our regular pastor is on an overdue vacation to visit his parents out of state). Mom's retired now, but it still fill me with pride to see her doing what she loves We're planning a brunch with the whole family after church. Should be a wonderful time!
Awww!! That's super awesome!! I know I would feel the same way! I remember when I went away to college...I prolly should've gone home for a weekend to recharge..but plowed through it..and sure enough I got sick...and stayed sick for a few weeks!! I was better after I had the chance to go home and sleep in my own bed for spring break!! YAY for you!!
Lots of good news today! Elle got the job she interviewed for! They offered it to her formally within 48 hours of her interview...she was so excited when she called she was practically squeaking. LOL. $10/hour 10 hours per week...and they'll work around her schedule. Perfect! She starts on Tuesday. She'll be helping with genetic projects involving zebra fish, a fungus colony and moths! Which sounds kinda gross...but she's overjoyed. She did research over the summer on "how different habitat conditions affected the legume-rhizobai mutualism/parasitism relationship by measuring plant growth and productivity under different conditions." at a lab affiliated with Michigan State University. She has a paying job lined up with them for next summer that guarantees she'll come home for the summer. Win! (she had good references from this lab that I think played a big part in getting her the new job at school) Been a great day, and am looking SO forward to seeing her tomorrow! Mom's gonna drive up with me to pick her up, and we're going to have a little congratulations dinner to celebrate the job
Had the best weekend Wonderful visit. Elle seems terrific. So positive and happy...seems like she's maturing every time I talk to her. Her best friend came to our house for the weekend, too, and we had a great visit with family. Was WONDERFUL to have her home...and even better seeing her confident and happy about her new adventures in life. Church this morning was beautiful. Was wonderful to see Mom in action again SO many people from the congregation had so many nice things to say, and were so welcoming to her. Times have certainly changed. She's retired, but has considered being a part-time associate pastor. I really hope she does. As long as her health is good, she's a treasure that would be wasted otherwise Mom and I picked Elle up Friday, but she wanted to ride the train home today...which freaked me out a little because she picked a later train that would arrive in Ann Arbor after dark. Learned some really cool stuff...Did you know you can track an Amtrak train online? You can actually see where the train is along the route and get real time information about any delays or problems. Wow, is THIS helpful! They have wifi on the trains now, too...so Elle can respond to emails and study and get organized for the week. She called us when she got to the station....learned her bus to go home was going to take about 45 minutes because they only run two busses on that route after 6PM on Sunday (it's usually 8!)....so she called "Safe Ride" and got a free ride home from the University instead. They came and picked her up in 5 minutes and took her right to her dorm front door. I was REALLY proud of her for calling Safe Ride instead of walking in the dark with big bags. Ann Arbor is a safe town, but it's good to know she's cautious and sensible. Also good to know the Uni offers good safety services that work. She had a really positive experience with the train.....which is WONDERFUL...because I think she's a lot more likely to come home if she doesn't feel like she's inconveniencing us or taking up half our weekend with driving. (which wouldn't bother us at all) Also awesome she can do homework on the train. What a great perk! Anyway...just feel so darned much better. She's doing great. Whew!
What a great sounding visit. So happy she got to come home and is doing so well. I know you are proud.
Thanks folks. Waiting to hear how her first day of work went today. Crossing my fingers that she enjoys it and has found her niche. She loved the lab this summer and looks forward to working for Michigan State U. again next summer...but the real proof she's on the right track will be if she enjoys her U of M job. She's talking about declaring her major...which I thought was kinda premature, but she explained that it only takes a week to "undeclare" if she changes her mind, and that a declared major gives her better chances for scholarships that she'll be applying for in November. Kid keeps thinking ahead on money matters trying to stay out of debt....have to give her credit for that.
Job looks VERY promising She had a great first day, met a lot of cool people and felt very much at home. (Reminded her of the Michigan State University lab, only bigger). Smartie pants took a dozen Panera bagels to share her first day. Apparently lab nerds can be tamed and socialized with free food...lol. (she learned this at her previous job, too!) She made some fun acquaintances that she thinks have the potential for friendships...and said she felt very comfortable there. Yes! Really relieved to hear this!
