It happened last week.

A moment we’d anticipated for over a year and spent the entire summer building up to … happened.

Just two short weeks following a social media news feed filled with Back-to-School photos and days following her friends “next chapter” posts – it got us.

Last week we moved my baby into her dorm.

The crazy thing about it for both myself and those close to me, is leaving her there I did not shed one tear. Now the weeks leading up to it, well that was a bit different, but the day of … nope not a one.

Shocked by this myself, as I traveled home I pondered the “why?” My children and I are extremely close, known commonly by those who love us as “T&Co.” for we have been an undeniable unit for quite some time.

So now my number one sidekick, my nurse on some occasions and built-in best friend is off and on to bigger things and I’m thrilled for her.

Years ago, the first time I had to be without my children as they went to visit dad, I learned the not so easy lesson of selflessness as a parent. My heart broke that entire 48-hour period when they were away. As a parent, more specifically a mom, the bond shared with your children is like no other. While I knew they needed and deserved time with their father, selfishly I felt lost.

But it wasn’t about me. That was the lesson I quickly learned.

Perhaps it was that moment and the moments thereafter, which helped prepare me for last week – I’m truly unsure.

What I am sure of, is that thanks to TikTok we had “all the things” one could imagine to make life living away from home happy and pink.

Following the advice of one TikTok mom, we started shopping in June, yes ... June. Her advice made sense; by starting early we’d not have to worry about items being sold out, prices going up and the shock to the wallet would be less painful. In other words, I stretched my extra-large dorm expense over the course of multiple shopping trips so the sting was a little less.

That is, of course, until the dorm room haul started to need its own room.

Yet thanks to her handy brother and Type A mother, move in day was both seamless and successful.

The night prior all three, yes three cars, were loaded and ready within less than 30 minutes. With my daughter’s look of surprise, a round of high fives was had and pizza devoured. All moves deserve pizza. Not to mention, another TikTok mom advised to remember to pack lunch and snacks as we wouldn’t want to leave the dorm once we started and we would get hungry. Cold pizza on day 2 for the win.

Driving home while pondering the question of where was that anticipated emotion, the sadness, I realized it was overrun by pride and joy.

This was a goal she had set for herself. Unlike her brother, my youngest was not content to stay home and attend community college. She was ready to move on, try something new and leave Oakdale. As hard as it was for me, there’s that selfishness again, it wasn’t about me.

As parents our job, our goal, our hope is to raise children who are good, loving humans that are able to soar and create their own life. That’s what she’s now started.

As for the emotion, well I’d be lying if I didn’t share the tears caught me the next morning in the early hours.

Our trusty black lab slept with her faithfully each and every night. The night of the move, in support of the void, I placed our young doodle in her kennel for the night and encouraged our lab to “sleep with mom.”

Early the next morning as I woke, she was not in my bed, nor on the couch in my room where I had left her blanket. The doodle, not happy, gave me the eye from her kennel, as if to say, “see traitor.”

Making my rounds through the house, in search of the lab, I noticed my daughter’s bedroom door open. There she was. Her head where pillows once were, laid out on a stripped bed waiting for fresh sheets.

That’s when I lost it. Our bestie was at college. As I shared these words with her trusting friend, the tears did fall.

Our lab has her own room now and when the college kid comes home, I’m pretty sure she’ll let her sleep with her.

Teresa Hammond is a staff reporter for The Oakdale Leader, The Riverbank News and The Escalon Times. She may be reached at thammond@oakdaleleader.com or by calling 209-847-3021.