Home is Where the Heart Is

Now that spring break is over, it's hard for me to believe that Bailey has almost completed her first year of college. Just a few more weeks and she'll be home for the summer! We loved being with her and catching up. Of course, she spent considerable time sleeping, too. But as a mom, there's a sort of comfort knowing she's upstairs asleep -- rather than 8.5 hours away.

I still marvel at how well she has adjusted to college life: So well, in fact, that I think she had a bit of an adjustment being home! :)

Before returning to IU, she spent a little time in the kitchen baking brownies and cookies to share with her friends at school.

She also ordered a few new mallets to add to her collection. Apparently, a serious percussionist cannot have too many. I keep telling Bailey that I could surely whip them up with a skein of yarn and a chopstick, but she assures me there is more to it than that.

Back in Bloomington, we were treated to a performance of some of her current pieces on the 5-octave marimba. It is such a joy to hear her play that beautiful instrument.

And we dined at Noodles & Company, a student favorite.

So now that we've passed spring break, I can't help but think about how far she's come from this time last year. Although it was incredibly difficult, we had to push her from the nest, reassuring her all the time that she indeed did have wings to fly.

I'm sure that many around us wondered why parents would push their child to do something she was clearly not comfortable doing. But we had such confidence in her that we knew she would be successful and happy, if only she would allow herself the opportunity. Through that often agonizing process, Bailey learned that sometimes you have to push through your blind fear in order to experience real growth.

Part of this growth process has involved shifting her focus from Iowa to Indiana. I can see this happening right before my eyes. I've never seen her happier -- and that makes me incredibly gratified, too.

So if home is where the heart is, I'd put my money on Indiana. :)