Moving-In Day!

Eurika!
My computer and Blogger have made up and are talking again!!
And good timing too, because in all the things I have attempted to blog about in the past few weeks, none are more blog-able than Andrea's move to college yesterday!!!
So here they are, a few photos and commentary:

"The Moving Crew"

I am certain we have many more friends and family who would have gladly helped us out yesterday and all we would have had to do was ask, 

but Aunt Debbie and Uncle John's "Flagler know how" were invaluable. (Their pick-up truck came in handy too!) Their daughter, our cousin Devin graduated from Flagler and she lived all four years there in the dorm. John knew exactly where to pull-up for unloading and knew exactly where the prime parking spots would be.

The love and support from Grandma and Grandpa, 

and from Aunt Lisa,

was also invaluable. It's a special kind of love that can either wait with your piles of belongings in the hot and steaming breezeway or to carry those belongings up the several flights of stairs! Andrea's room is on the second floor, but the first floor is called the lobby, so, in my mind, it's really like she's on the third floor!

A little history about the building: these photos are all taking in the courtyard at Flagler (pretty cool that it looks just like Hogwarts!). This was built by oil and railroad tycoon Henry Flagler 125 years ago. At that time he would bring his wife to Florida for her health and there wasn't a place to stay. His hotel was state of the art, with electricity throughout by Edison himself. The hotel was gifted to Flagler College in 1968, originally as a women's college, but became co-ed in 1971. The girls' dorms are the original hotel rooms (the boys and coed dorms are separate buildings). I find it especially fascinating that Flagler wanted his guest to have a different experience each time they visited the hotel, so each dorm room is unique. There are a few rooms that hold only one student, but some as many as six!

Andrea's room holds four girls and for now, their beds are bunked and she wanted the top one.

I just realized that their room doesn't have one of the cool (closed up of course) fireplaces, but it does have a really big window. Andrea wasted no time placing some of her prized photos in it. :o)

My camera just can't capture the beauty and grandeur of this place, although I still have hopes of coming one weekend to try, I thought this photo was kinda cool. As I mentioned, the bottom floor is the lobby, then the "1st floor" and Andrea's is the 2nd. Looking straight across you might be able to make out some steps. Her room is the room just to the left on the landing before the last set of steps (and boxes). 

The Parent Orientation meeting was filled with tips and advice for first year college parents,

but the underlying theme that came through loud and clear was, that as much as I may want to do things for her, (after all that's a parents' job), she is now ready and very capable of embarking on this new adventure on her own. 

So, go forth by first born child, make lots of unforgettable memories and know that I love you with every fiber of my being. Just please remember to call me, write me or text me to tell me all about your adventures!! :o)