The empty nest we've heard about is starting to get real. Last Thursday was Missy's move-in day at Ball State. We all went down to Muncie Wednesday evening and stayed ovenight in a motel, then started to move-in process. Missy had a particular time span she was supposed to be there to move in, and we got her there and got all her stuff moved up without any issues. She is on the 6th floor of her dorm, and has a roommate that she has been talking to online and seems to get along well with but has not actually met. Her roommate wasn't around when we were moving her in, but she had moved in a few days ago I think. Her stuff was all moved in already, anyway. We made a few more final passes through town to see what there is to see and do in Muncie, ran to Wal-Mart and Target and several other places to find things that we found she needed (a power strip, snacks, something to stand on so she can get into her bed...) and had lunch, but by about 2:30 she walked into the dorm by herself and we had to leave. Next milestone, check....Missy is starting college. Ready or not. Beth cried on the way home. We missed a turn on the way back so we drove I-69 all the way up to FW instead of using state roads through Marian and Wabash, and I think that was actually faster and easier. 

Speaking of empty nests, I'm posting today instead of the usual Sunday because we are heading on an epic road trip Sunday afternoon. Alex needs to go back to school too, and since we got him the car a couple months ago, we are going to drive it out there. Beth is going to go with us instead of staying home alone for a week just after Missy left, which we thought was a smarter thing to do. We've been finishing up everything we can think of that we need to get done before leaving (haircuts, filling prescriptions, etc) and I think we are ready. I've been both looking forward to and dreading the trip. Google maps says it is 33 hours to drive to Redmond and I fell like this is going to be the longest and most boring ride ever. Well, at least we're crossing mountains so maybe there will be something to look at. And with 3 of us to share driving, maybe it won't be so bad.