Summer Greetings, Friends!
As we’re all enjoying these RVA summer days, and many of us are gearing up for a new school year, I’m preparing myself for a whole new era in the Thompson household. My baby boy, the one who was 1 year old when I started RFM, is heading off to college!
To say I’m not ready to let him go would be an understatement. I know he’s ready, I know he’ll love it, and I know he will thrive in his new environment, but wow, did those 18 years fly by.
On the morning of the last day of his high school career, The Today Show played a snippet of a new song by former One Direction bandmate Niall Horan, End of an Era. The timing was uncanny, and the lyrics hit me like a ton of bricks and made me practically cry right into my coffee:
Feels like letting go of
Things we’re not supposed to
One breath and it’s over
The end of an era
It’s hard to believe our time in the public school system has come to an end. No more back to school nights, no more Friday night football games, no more wondering if the snow closing call is coming and which funny theme Chris Whitley will choose (iykyk), and no more lunches to pack. My husband and I figured that we packed close to 4,000 lunches over the boys’ 13 years in school. That’s a lot of PBJs.
I’m grateful to the teachers who guided our kids through each year, to the good friends they made along the way, and to the memories we all made at each school. The boys (now young men!) will make new memories, meet new friends, and have more great teachers, but we won’t be involved in most of that in their next chapter, or the ones after that. It’s all a seismic shift in our family, and all families facing this time, and one that’s going to take a lot of getting used to.
Fortunately for me and all families getting ready for our kids’ freshman year of college, RFM’s Real Mom for this issue, Alissa Poole, went through the experience last year, and she has some great advice for those of us just getting started. You’ll enjoy reading her tips on navigating the first year of college on page 16.
Also in this issue, Emily Wise introduces us to Gabi Day, a mom and businesswoman who took her health into her own hands and created a product line that can benefit us all (page 22). Plus, we’re exploring all the fun to be had in Philadelphia, and after reading Christine’s article (page 58), you’ll want to plan a trip to visit! Also, RFM’s mother/daughter writing duo, Laura and Amelia Boycourt, have ideas for summer fun right here in Richmond. From splash pads to museums to festivals, you can turn this article into your family’s RFM summer fun checklist (page 44). You’ll also find a packed community calendar beginning on page 64, with even more summer events on our online calendar at RFMonline.com.
Enjoy the summer fun all around RVA, and enjoy this issue of RFM!
