Dear Kid,

Once upon a time life was easy.

That time was 6 years ago on a Tuesday morning from 8:57am to 8:58am.

Easy didn’t last very long.

Which isn’t to say that life is hard.

We have it pretty good compared to most of the world. We have enough to eat, we have a place to sleep, we have indoor plumbing, and we have NCIS.

But we have plenty of first world problems.

We have restaurants to choose from at lunch, we have multiple flavors of coffee to decide between, we have to learn new phrases like on fleek, we have more jewelry than we can wear at once, and we have The Royals (yes, it’s still awful, and yes, I keep watching).

Once you finish exams this week, you’ll be home. This is FAN-FREAKING-TASTIC for a whole variety of reasons. It also brings us one more first world problem.

Two cars, four drivers, 19 places to go.

Prepare to compromise.

Love, Mom

Dear Kid,

Welcome home, sweetie!

Exams are over (or just about depending on what time you are reading this). You have moved to a new dorm (or just about depending on what time you are reading this). You might even have slept a small amount (but probably not) and you are home (or headed in that general direction).

Your room is right where you left it. (So are the things you left on the floor as I discovered the other day.) The washing machine and dryer are right where you left them (although the dryer has a new dial—thought Dad was going to pop an eardrum when he told me that the dial for the washing machine costs more than your tuition).

Booker is probably right where you left him (if you left him standing in the kitchen hoping someone would drop something interesting onto the floor). Pi is probably not where you left her because that child is not known for staying still. Also she has school today.

All the House Rules are still right where you left them. (They’ve missed you.)

Most importantly, all the love is still right here for you. (But you take that with you wherever you go.)

Welcome home, sweetie.

Love, Mom