Ohio State

Three and half years. Leave it to Austin to graduate early Summa Cum Laude with honors in Neuroscience. Yikes. Just typing it out is crazy.

He worked in a lab and as a T.A. for most of the three and half years. And still made perfect grades.

To say that we are proud is an understatement. He blows us away with his dedication and accomplishments.

But man the time flew by. I remember the weekend we moved him in. I was so excited for him. Didn’t even feel sad since he was just down the road.

But as that first week continued it really hit all of us how much the family dynamic had changed with one us not living there anymore.

That weekend he came home for a Sunday family dinner. I was in heaven. But as Andy pulled out of the driveway to drive him back to campus it hit me hard. It was real. Things had changed. And I cried. A lot.

And that seems how it went. So happy to see him on the weekends that he popped in and then really sad when he left. Up and down.

And it wasn’t just me. The siblings missed him a ton. Everything was just so different.

I would walk by his empty room and peek in just to feel closer to him but instead would feel so sad.

But then I would remind myself that I am one of the lucky ones. I get to feel the pain of letting him go off into the world. Not everyone is that lucky.

It also means that I have done my job. And while I would never take credit for his accomplishments I would love to think that I played a small part in how he has turned out, a kind and thoughtful amazing human. He is fighting hard to get where he wants to be in life and I have no doubt he will.

I love you Austin- thanks for being such a great kid.