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SFG's avatar

Congratulations ๐ŸŽ‰ At the airport now to fly home after dropping our first born at school literally across the country. Feeling good though. Hoping the would treats him right too ๐Ÿ™

Jenna McCarthy's avatar

๐Ÿ™๐Ÿ™๐Ÿ™

Heather B's avatar

Great job, Mom! I know exactly how you feel. You'll feel better in a while. Sweet photos too. Laughed at the shrimp comment. Same here.

Shannon Nering's avatar

Oof is right. Except I have two young menโ€”18 and 21โ€“who donโ€™t gently crack their way out of childhood into adulthood to take great flight. Imagine two bulls encased in delicate robin shells. Everything is big and brazen and loud and occasionally dangerous and always messy and they no longer listen to me. I mean barely. And yes thereโ€™s so much to teach them and the books Iโ€™ve given them (Joe Dispenza and Jordan Peterson) have hardly a dog ear so self help is out of the question. Iโ€™ve offered gentle plant medicine so they may find their heart and unity but alasโ€”itโ€™s individuation time. My words are โ€œboysโ€”be gentle with yourself. Itโ€™s an insane world and youโ€™re gonna need you so love yourself up.โ€ โ˜บ๏ธ

Shannon Nering's avatar

Ps. What gorgeous daughters (and family)you have. Hmm. Pure bloods. lol.

Jenna McCarthy's avatar

๐Ÿฉท๐Ÿฉท๐Ÿฉท

Dr. Molly Rutherford's avatar

I feel this comment so much. Boys frontal lobe development lags behind the girls. I see it in my practice and with my boys. Somehow husband's was pretty well developed when I met him (I was 30, he was 24)...but he is a first born.

Shannon Nering's avatar

Thanks for saying that. Cool coincidenceโ€”My husband was 30 when we met I was 33! And yet I noticed the age difference for at least the first ten years. Crazy!! You got lucky.

Dr. Molly Rutherford's avatar

I was also VERY immature LOL

Shannon Nering's avatar

Haha. That works.

Brandon is not your bro's avatar

Congratulations!!! And beautiful family, best always ๐Ÿค—๐Ÿ’ฅโค๏ธ

Lo_retta's avatar

My second oldest married last year at the age of 24, living in MD (we are in MA).

My third and last just married at the age of 22 a few months ago. Living in TX.

My oldest, age 27, is thankful near us for now, getting his PhD.

I think we did it right. They've made excellent choices, especially in spouses, any they are amazing human beings to be around. And my husband and I are reaping the rewards with quiet peace.

It's a heart tug, for sure.

But with joy and gratitude

Jenna McCarthy's avatar

๐Ÿ†๐Ÿฉท

From the Beach...๐ŸŒž๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ–๏ธ๐ŸŒŠ๐Ÿฌ๐ŸŒŽ๐Ÿ˜Ž's avatar

Very nice, Jenna.

I have two married daughters, each in Texas. Yanked them out of the Fort Worth ISD and enrolled them in private school. Both left Texas for private colleges. One in Louisiana and the other in Florida. Each eventually returned to Texas, found the right guy , married and settled down. Equally proud of each.

Flash back to my college selection and a conversation with my Dad. Get as far away from home as possible. You will mature more quickly.

Home was Irvington on the Hudson,NY. I headed to a private university in the then segregated South located in Durham NC. Not much of a melting pot but a way of life distinctly different than the NYC metropolitan area in the 1950's and early 60's.

Good parents are vital to ones success and independence. You appear to have done it correctly.

Jenna McCarthy's avatar

๐Ÿฅน

Dr. Molly Rutherford's avatar

Great job mom!

When the oldest son left, he seemed ready. There were no tears, because I have trouble crying. But I rescued a dog about a month later. Youngest leaves next week and we will feel that one more. Oldest is introvert semi genius thinker, while youngest is loud inappropriate jokester. It is unclear that either young man is college material, which is fine. They have a backup plan.

Empty nesters we are not however. MIL lives in my basement.

SadieJay's avatar

Bonus! Thank you for the reminder of those days. In Cocoa Beach right now watching my gorgeous daughter's babies (11, 9, 7) so she can attend a class for her job. The love never ends, it just grows legs. Thanks for sharing your life Jenna. Appreciate it lots.

Jenna McCarthy's avatar

๐Ÿ˜˜๐Ÿฉท

Rosemary B's avatar

one day you will look back... and know this WAS authentic and appropriate.

I have had the two weddings in a matter of three years? and then it is shortly after, Grammaville.

It happens just as fast as... how this week just flew by.

Best wishes to your girls. They are beautiful just like you. You have a lovely family.

Jenna McCarthy's avatar

Youโ€™re too kind ๐Ÿฅน๐Ÿฉท

Don's avatar

Love the pics ๐ŸŽ‰ !!

Lori's avatar

Congrats! Congrats! Congrats!

Time to fly!

Anna Lafferty's avatar

The word maudlin did not come to my mind once while reading this lovely post, Jenna. Love that your family is close-knit.

Vee's avatar

Awwww congratulations Jenna and family! Such a great bonus post! I can't even imagine my little ones getting this big ๐Ÿ˜ญ๐Ÿ˜ญ

AJoy's avatar

Beautiful family. Family is everything!

Jenna McCarthy's avatar

I thank you and agree wholeheartedly โ˜บ๏ธ

Alicia's avatar

Your very first sentence: if you do it right, they leave you. Omg first year at Loyola (literally 20 minutes from our house), I completely broke down, sobbing. Felt like a bad breakup. I said what did I do wrong? He's not even sad to go. I miss him and it's only minutes. My husband said what you said, that if you did everything right, they leave you. You prepared him for this day, and he is more than ready.

I'm still crying. Each new school. New degree. ๐Ÿ™๐Ÿป

Jenna McCarthy's avatar

Itโ€™s the hardest job in the world๐Ÿฅน

Andrew's avatar

Tearjerker alertโ€ฆ.