Son 2 moves into Durmstrang

Today we drove Son 2 up to Durmstrang and moved him in. It was a beautiful day, and Son 2 was in very high spirits. Moving him in was pretty easy, because he packed very minimalistically; besides, the school isn't actually all that far away, so it should be easy enough to get something to him if it turns out he is missing anything. (His roommate brought a lot more stuff, and I had to wonder when he was going to use it all.) Afterwards the Head of School talked to all the new parents for a while about what we should expect from the school (both as parents and for the kids); there was a large barbecue for everyone; and then the parents all had to leave. Wife was pretty tired, since she hadn't had a chance to rest all day, and went to bed soon after we got home.

Son 2 was happy and excited.  Ever since he started to give any serious thought to high school, this is where he has wanted to go.  The school is located in a very rural setting, unlike Hogwarts (Son 1's high school) which is considerably more urban.  When Son 2 first visited this place he had a short interview with the Head of School who asked him if he liked the place.  When Son 2 answered an emphatic Yes! the Head further asked, "So, are you a country boy then?"  Son 2 answered, "No, I'm a city boy. But I come alive whenever I come out to the country."  (I swear I have never talked to him about John Eldredge.)  This was the same time that I alluded to briefly in another post, when the Head asked him whether his parents were sending him to boarding school to get rid of him and Son 2 shot back, "No, I want to escape."  So today here he was -- finally moving in -- and he was thrilled.  He also had to stop and check periodically that he wasn't dreaming: "I've known for a long time that I would be going to boarding school, and even that I'd be going to Durmstrang ... but it's finally happening! Here I am!"

Wife was happy because Son 2 was so happy, but she did sometimes allow herself to gaze thoughtfully into space and what life would be like with neither boy at home.  And then tonight, after sleeping for three hours or so, she woke up sobbing.

"I'm going to miss him so much, and it is going to be so lonely around here! If you spend the weekend paying bills and shopping and never talk to me, the weekends are going to be really long. And then you'll go to work during the week, so your days aren't going to change at all, and I'll be left completely alone all the time!"

I didn't mention that things are going to change for me too, because I don't want to start the conversation about divorce while it is late at night and she's already crying.  That can wait till tomorrow (which has been my plan all along).  So I just told her that this shouldn't be a problem ... just an opportunity for her to start to do new things and not to have to spend all of every day being a Mom.  Then I repeated the same thing in different words a few times, and after a while she settled down and went back to sleep.  I'm getting tired and I'm about to do the same.  But I guess tomorrow is likely to be even more dramatic.