The Blessings of Children - of all ages

Gosh such a lot has happened in the last couple of months and now here we are on the cusp of new beginnings.  
Firstly we got on the university visits merry go round again.  This time with our son, who has very firm views about where he wants to go and is not easily deflected.  This is good as it meant that we only had two universities to attend, although we had to go to one of them three times!  Initially he wanted to study History, until his father put the notion of American Studies into his head.  That was it for him - heaven on earth.  He did have to choose other options as well though, so he stayed with his intial choice of history.  One of his university choices didn't offer him a place - we were not surprised, it was what we expected, but the others did.  There were only two others, one offered him a joint honours course in History with American Studies but he would only get one semester at an American University and he really wants a whole year there.  Actually he would ideally love to transfer the rest of his course to an American University but that is a whole other story and not likely to happen.  That was York St John, a lovely university, right in the heart of the city of York - and consequently the car parking charge for the applicants day was eyewatering.
The second university we visited (again and again) was Hull.  Initially we went for a History Dept Applicants Day, with a short visit to the American Studies dept at the end of the day.  American Studies invited him to return for a full Am Studs Dept Applicants Day.  What can we say about Hull?  It is a lovely, warm, friendly and inviting university who give a profound impression that they really want the applicants to study at Hull.  When we returned for the second Applicants Day, as we walked into the lunch room  (Yes at Hull they feed their applicants and families - the only place that does and it all adds to the welcoming feel) as I was saying - as we walked into the lunch room, our son was greeted by name by staff who not only knew his name but remembered what his interests and passions are.  Now that is impressive.  If he wasn't already sold on the university and department, he would have been after that.
Hull is now his firm choice and his insurance choice - different departments though.  We are now at the stage of applying for Student Finance and university accommodation.  
The major hurdle to be overcome now, of course, is the grades.  Least said . . .

Tomorrow our daughter flies home from her third year, Year Abroad.  For some reason it appears that the Year Abroad, always has to be heralded with capital letters.  As she says, it is very strange to have come to the end of the Year Abroad, as it has been a huge part of her life for so long.  Long before going to university she knew that she would have to do the Year Abroad, and she spent her first two years preparing for it and worrying about it, then she lived it for a year and suddenly - it is all over.  She doesn't ever have to think about it again - well not after she has got the cultural essay handed in.  In October she will go back for her fourth and final year at university and then the real stressing will begin - oh yes.  What joy . . .

. . . or not!

In the meantime, I am just going to relax and enjoy her being home and being able to just phone her whenever I need to speak to her, rather than bashing my head against a wall because she won't answer texts or emails.   She can sort out her own problems, banking, hospital/doctor visits and not leave it to me to do whilst unable to get her to communicate with me. . .

... unless she needs something.  Which again is another story.

What a blessing children are.