Destination Empty Nest

Destination Empty Nest, a set on Flickr.

The holidays barely behind us, and deep in to hockey season and nary a peep from me about my daughter's initial departure to college. I don't feel too terribly horrible about it. I'd like to think it is the result of my free time being occupied with things other than non-work screen time. Though admittedly I did probably/totally spend some time using my small screen (iPhone) to edit photos (via some great apps) I took in the second half of 2013.

I tried several times to write a post documenting my girlie's send off to higher education and her first real test as an adult succeeding in the world; but I guess for me it is best done through my favorite story telling medium.

I am very proud of my daughter. I know that she knows this is an amazing opportunity and she is taking full advantage of it. It is the biggest compliment I could ask from her. That and her new found love of hockey.

Way to go kid, WAY TO GO.

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes....

Strange fascination fascinating me

Ah, changes are taking the pace I'm going through

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes

Turn and face the strange

ch-ch-changes

Oh, look out, you rock and rollers

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes

Turn and face the strange

ch-ch-changes

Pretty soon now, you're gonna get older

Time may change me, but I can't trace time

I said that time may change me, but I can't trace time

David Bowie

Obviously there has been a tremendous amount of change in our lives over the past year; and this past weekend was no exception.

As I was telling the story to a friend of ours how I had decided to name my daughter (in her presence), I mentioned one of the other names I had considered… and without hesitation she said something like, “I really like that name, can I change my name?”; and similarly without hesitation I said, "If you're really serious and want to change your name then sure I suppose you can change your name."

Just as I understood that our choice to uproot our lives and relocate with no job prospects, no housing, and (if I were being honest) no real sense of what it meant to do what it was we were doing would be LOADED with implications, FRAUGHT with challenges, and otherwise not something to be taken lightly, this choice too will carry its own burdens.

I can only hope that just as our true friends loved and encouraged us through this process so will the people in her life. Already there are those who are fighting it, turning heads and whispering doubt, but more importantly there are those who are lifting her up, loving her no less (maybe more) and saying, “What’s in a name? A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”

For the last 14 years I have been blessed to know you as my daughter and for the next 14 and beyond I will be just as proud to know you as Lincoln Huntyr Griffin.