Rachel is two weeks into her second semester of college. She seems to be off to a good start. She has made it everywhere she needs to go, I think. When questioned, she says “I am 20 years old.” My gut says I should respond with, “And I am paying the bill.”

Prior to the beginning of the semester, we figured out that she has no time for lunch on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I was a little concerned because Rachel likes a schedule, and she loves the cafeteria. The lunch socialization is very important to her. We talked through it with her and recommended she take a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, fruit and water for her lunches those days. This was not readily met with enthusiasm. So, I compared it to working at the Olive Garden. I told her when you work from 5:00 – 9:00 PM, you don’t get to stop and eat. You wait until after work. I told her it is the same kind of thing. I also told her it would impress everyone to see how she could be so responsible. That seems to have done the trick.

She starts her internship on Friday in the Service Learning Office. She is very excited about this. She loves her acting class and told us quite a few things about her hospitality class. She loves having roommates and is still wanting to be part of a sorority. There seem to be some “rules” issues around that. I am disappointed for her and still unsure what will happen.

The big news is about Rachel’s Baby Sally though. If you are new to my blog, click here to catch up – Life Lessons with Baby Sally & Marisol. Sally has been Rachel’s baby since Rachel was herself a baby. We learn a great deal from Sally. There were times when I might have said to Rachel, “We are not talking about Baby Sally. We are talking about you.” There have been times when I really would have loved for Baby Sally to get lost or thrown in the trash. But she has endured. Even after she had to stay home while Rachel’s American Girl doll Marisol went to college, Sally just hung out.

A few weeks before time to go back to school, Rachel announced that Sally would be attending the University of Arkansas. I was fairly shocked by this announcement. Since my husband and I are both Arkansas Alumni and Rachel has been going to Hog events since before she was born, I shouldn’t have shocked, but I was. A little. As we talked, Rachel informed me that Sally would be going to live at Mawmaw and Popie’s house. Mawmaw and Popie are my parents, and they live in central Arkansas. My response was simply okay.

When Rachel went back to school, Marisol and Sally both stayed home. Rachel came home for Labor Day holiday before we traveled to my parents home. As we packed, she told me Sally is going with us. She is going to stay at Mawmaw and Popie’s and then go to school at Arkansas. So she went and she stayed. I wasn’t sure it would happen. She clutched her tightly all morning and had Popie read her a story.

Then she said, “You can always text and call me. I’m you’re mom. Go Hogs.” She placed her by one of the dolls mom keeps for visiting children. She tucked her in, kissed her and left.

I’m not quite sure why Sally is starting college several weeks late or how she is getting from Mawmaw’s to the University. It’s about a 3 1/2 hour drive. I know because I made that trek about 40 years ago to be a student at the University of Arkansas.

I don’t want to overanalyze or overthink her actions. What I do know is that this was a BIG step for Rachel. Like Woody from Toy Story, Sally is probably a little sad, too. Mostly, I suspect, she too is very proud of her mom.