My nest is empty...

The boy went off to college this past weekend. It's a little weird, this whole suddenly-I'm-not-really-a-mother-anymore deal. Oh, I know that technically it's a job for life -- but there are some aspects of the role that change forever once your kid leaves home, even in that semi-permanent way that college kids leave home. I'm finding my way slowly for now -- I'm not exactly crushed, but I am a little sad. It's hard to go from being needed to being not-so-needed. On the other hand, I saved about $80 on my grocery bill last night, I don't have to write a check for guitar lessons this month, there's one less bathroom to scrub, and my laundry burden is considerably lighter. Nobody interrupted my night's sleep by coming in at 2:30 AM, and I'm not worried about anybody driving in bad weather. I can borrow his CDs without asking, and I don't have to watch any of those really bad reality shows on MTV. Oh, and I can cook whatever the hell I want to for dinner. So right now, it's a little back and forth, but I think I'm going to be alright.