One step closer

Thursday we drove to Chattanooga for Jessica's college orientation. We left late because for a couple of different reasons and arrived there at about 12:30 am (they are an hour ahead of us)! We spent the night in one of the dorms there which was an experience! They (Jessica and her roommate) had to get up early in order to take some placement tests. If I had to do it over again, I would probably have stayed home, gone to bed early in order to get up early to drive down there. But that wouldn't have worked with Courtney and Kirsten, so I guess this was the best route! Man, I was exhausted Friday morning! I slept maybe two hours!

So we get up Friday morning, get them to the area for their test and then part company for the rest of the day. The students attended different orientation sessions from the parents. We finished up at about 4:00. All I have to say is - TOO MUCH INFORMATION!! This was all so new to me and Mark and Cindy (Jessica's friends mom) because none of us were traditional college students. Our parents didn't attend orientation. I don't even think our colleges had orientation. I will say that it helped me feel more comfortable with the school and the staff. It is a beautiful campus and just the right size.

The dorm situation is unique there in that all of their dorms are apartment style. They range from two to four bedrooms with a full kitchen/living room area. The ones that Jessica and Jamie are staying in are the newest and VERY nice! The security seems to be top notch and well staffed. They have their own certified police force on campus.

We all felt very overwhelmed and numb from the day on the way home. The girls were really excited on the trip down but coming home they seemed more stunned and thoughtful. They were able to register for classes while we were there and get their student IDs. It seems so official now! We are definately one more step closer to them starting this new stage of their lives. Move in date - August 16!