August 22nd Kathy Wrote

Greetings to all from Us!

I'm presently working at setting my mind in a new thinking mode of what " us"and "we" means, " Bill and I" ...... YesYes , I've done that for many years now(25) but there was the children involved in "us", and soon, Friday August 27th, 2004, approximately, 5 pm, after my return from Scranton Pa., leaving our oldest child behind there, We will be... Home Alone....Bill and I...The two of us! All three of the children will be in college!!! This does come with mixed emotions (for me anyway).!!! (But I'm told this is normal----phew).

Derek left this past thursday at 8:30 pm with a loaded van of his college "stuff". We took his car out Saturday and made an exchange. The van was empty. Wow, we didn't have to take anything (well, except a bag I brought with laundry detergent and nutty buddy's) up the four flights of steps to his room. How sweet! He's an R.A. thus he has his own room. Pray for him. He has 45 guys he's responsible for and needs to learn all their names. Most of them are freshman. oh Dave and Carol, thanks for letting him spend the summer at your place.

Melissa. leaves this Monday for college. Thus, a new experience for her all around. She'll need to learn how to share her personal space with someone else, besides manage her own time. She can get in the dorm at 11:30, so tonight after she gets off work and tomorrow, we'll be loading up her college "stuff". Alana and I are going up with her to help get her settled in.

Alana, as I mentioned above, will be going back to Marywood on Friday. Brad and I will help to get her settled in for the year in her apartment from last year. But there will be six girls instead of five this year because campus housing is tight. She's fortunate she's able to live on campus this year. She made a comment the other day that this week she'll experience being an "only child " for the first time (that she can remember).

Last week, we all went out to knoebles amusement park and camped out like we did when the children were little. In a tent. In the rain. we(Derek,melissa, bill and i) spent one day at the pool and slides. And Alana and Brad joined us after they got off work Wednesday and spent the night and next day at the amusement park. It was a great time of connecting before everyone went their separate ways!

well melissa just got home and i'll have to close for now. off to the start of a busy week. God bless you all in all that you do this week! May you Praise our Lord in all that you do and say this week! Love Kathy (and Bill)