Another one bites the dust, folks. And by that, I mean I launched a second child into the wonderful world of study abroad. You may recall my stellar parenting moment in August 2021, when my husband, Doo, and I chose Vegas-style debauchery over seeing a son off for a year-long adventure in France. But this time around, I was the epitome of motherhood, including the obligatory emotional response. Read on for a tale of my rare maternal moment.
Frenchie’s twin sister has dreamed of going to Korea forever, but with COVID-1, the actual fulfillment of said dream has been precarious. She finally got the green light in December and the countdown began. Visas, PCR tests and determining the perfect 14-hour flight snacks kept her busy right up until the night before her departure. The farewell dinner with her roommate’s family unfortunately was canceled last minute, so I assumed we’d spend a quiet evening at home, soaking up our quirky oldest daughter before she left for five months.
She had other plans. “I’m going to Aunt Katie’s. Be back at 8.” What the what? “They invited me over and I didn’t think we were doing anything.” Cue dagger-to-the-heart. My red-headed doppelganger had chosen another mom! And to my surprise, it hurt. A lot. But I rose above and said nothing. This was about her, not me.
And then I woke up at 3 a.m. to drive her to the airport. I hugged her, told her she was beautiful and to make good choices, and that I loved her. When she walked away, I cried. Only a little, but still. See? I can be a real mother!
Peace out.
