Radford Weekend Recap

Our trip to Radford was a huge success!  We got down there Friday night and met up with our girl.  It was so good to see her.  I think she was just as happy to see us as we were to see her.  I thought she might strangle her brother she hugged him to long and so hard.

Matching "stoner" hoodies

 College is hard work!

Her dorm room looks great, they've decorated it nicely and they are keeping it clean and very homey.  Some of my OCD tendencies seemed to have rubbed off on Brenna and I don't know if that's good or bad, but it does make for a nicely comfortable dorm room.  We took her out to dinner and then left her hang out with her friends. The next day we met up for all sorts of fun and game.  We had nice breakfast, took our girl to the mall to buy all sorts of "necessities" including 2 pairs of jeans for Mom! :o)  Went to the school bookstore and got our Radford hoodies - we also walked around downtown Radford, which is really about 4 stores, a gas station, a CVS and a really cool "stoner" store called Lamours.  The latest rage are these hemp hoodies that are called Bajas, but John and I refer to them as stoner hoodies, anyway we had to get one for the Z-man who is going to be the coolest kid in middle school!

 We walked all over campus, which really isn't that big, but totally exhausted us.  Went to a folk festival on the Quad and bought apple butter, and a weed pot and corn husks flowers.  Listened to bluegrass music and generally just hung out.  It totally wore us out and we had to go back to B's dorm and literally take a little nap.  I am WAY TO OLD to be in college that's for damn sure.

I don't know why they are so tired?

 We played some pool, saw a Comedian/Magician performer and just generally had a great time.  We laughed and laughed and laughed.  It's been a looooooong time since we've had a family outing that didn't end in tears, screaming or pouting.  The kids got along, the parents got along and the kids and parents got along!  That just never happens.
I am so proud of Brenna.  She's doing such a great job so far.  She's bringing in 2 A's, 1 B and 1 C (2 points away from a B) and her Chemistry grade.  Not doing great in Chemistry, but she's got a plan and she's working on getting it together.  She's planning on getting a tutor to help her and has already been in to talk to her professor during his office hours.

This is from the girl who in the 9th grade would rather take a 0 than ask the teacher which basket to put her homework in.  She had the homework done and with her, but instead of asking where to put it she just kept it.  That girl is not meeting with her professors and talking to the Learning Resource Center.  She asks for our opinions and listens and then makes it work for her.  I'm so proud of her.
The other thing that pleases me is Brenna's willingness to share all sorts of "stuff" that is going on at college.  Probably more than I really want to know, but I love that she's comfortable enough with us that she will share what's going on in her life.  I try and just listen and affirm that she's making good choices and give her advice if it seems receptive.  I just can't say enough how proud I am of her.  When I think back to all those horrific years in middle school and the beginning of high school when we despaired that she'd grow up to be anything except a pathological liar and felon and I look at her now and I am amazed!  She is smart, funny, kind, loving and taking charge of her life.  How did we get so lucky!?
I will end this with the 2 best quotes of the weekend:
"You'd be surprised how much puke I've seen!" - Brenna
"You know you've got another child!" - Zack
Geez I love my kids!