OT: needing commiseration

I had many of the same feelings as your mother when my youngest turned

30 this past spring. Yikes! How could I possibly have lived long enough to have both of my "children" be over 30?? Still, the compensation for being older is being retired. ;)

{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{Tina}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}} I thought you might need that. While I doubt I'll ever be in your shoes (having no children and no plans for any), I can imagine how you might feel and, after all the emotions settle, I think you should be darned proud of yourself. She sounds like a wonderful young woman and you made her that way. Now, blow you nose, toss the tissue and give yourself a big pat on the back!

(((Hugs))) You can be proud of the good job you did raising her! If they can move out and eventually be self-supporting, we did it right! If it's any consolation, most of us probably never stop worrying about our children, no matter how well they are doing. So you will always be her mommy :-) Mine are now 34 and 30, paying their own rent. I worry. I want grandchildren! Roberta in D

"Tina" schrieb im Newsbeitrag news: snipped-for-privacy@h48g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...

Now that is just beautiful! It brought a tear to my eye.....my baby is 21 and in her last year of college and struggling with the thought of what to do next. I understand what you are going through.........can we ever just hand them over to life without hanging on just a little bit? Not a chance......

Laurie G. in CA

The day you watch her graduate from college will be one of the proudest you'll have experienced up until then. Trust me. Both of mine graduated in the same ceremony and I was "verklempt". One took a roundabout path and the other one pretty much breezed through....but I was button busting proud of them both! KJ

Well, I can certainly understand your feelings, but I have to tell you, your perspective becomes different as life goes on. I now have a GRANDDAUGHTER who has turned 18!! You learn to accept each milestone and look forward to what life hands you next. Because my own children grew and went out on their own, I now have three grandchildren! (And no, I don't feel old enough for that!!)

T>Is it just me, or is this really such a life moving/changing/shattering

Carole D. - Retired and loving it in the foothills of NW Georgia

My quilts, crafts, QIs, and more -

You know Carole, in a selfish sort of way, I'm actually looking forward to that! LOL

If I can't hold my little "baby" anymore, then I will look forward to holding hers - handing it back when it needs a diaper change, and letting it wake HER up during the night!

Thanks for the perspective!

Tina, surviving the day and cherishing my daughter

Carole-Retired and Loving It wrote: I now have a

Laurie, you are so on target! My son is almost 40, and I still have a hard time keeping my mouth shut when he climbs mountains and goes wilderness trekking alone. I wonder if we ever lose that feeling we got from that beautiful little bundle the nurse handed us so many years ago..............I hope not.

Hugs, Tina, the best is yet to come. I'm 62, my mother is 82, and we live close to one another. The relationship we have now is one that we could never have had in the past, and we both treasure our time together.