Goodbyes Are Hard!

So most of you know how precious my little brother is to me. He is absolutely the sweetest, most handsome, precious, smart, funny kid I know! I shouldn't call him a kid because he is 18 and going to college! But in my eyes, he will always be my little baby brother. My nickname for him started as Precious Angel, shortened to Angel, now its Ange. Most people who hear me talk about him know exactly who I am talking about when I say "ange".
Tomorrow he begins his college adventure at the University of Kentucky. My parents will be moving him in and saying their goodbyes too. Even though he is only an hour away, it feels like he is going farther than that. He is the last one to leave the "nest"- I have no clue what my parents are going to do. Well I know what my dad is going to do...but not so sure about my mom. Luckily she will be getting a new little one in January or we might have to supervise her :)
Alex is the youngest out of 4 and certainly had a challenging childhood (only challenging in his mind, he had 3 older siblings!). We teased him about being adopted...isnt that what older siblings did? We told him his real parents really lived next door and when he was 10 he would have to go live with them. He got everything he ever wanted just so he would stop asking or crying, and he says he was left home alone from the age of 2. Oh and we dressed him up as a girl!! (he will die!) Somehow he managed to turn into the best brother, son and grandson, anyone could ask for. He is such a HANDSOME boy, I tease him that all the girls are going to love him...but he will have to get Lindsay and I's approval first :) He is hardworking, giving, loving, and will do anything you ask.
I was 8 when Alex was born, so I have truly watched him grow into an amazing young man. He has gone from bad baby to good teenager :) We have so many funny stories of things he has said over the years, like when we moved to KY from Southern California and the first time he saw his breath in the winter, he asked if he was "smoking". He wondered why he didnt have grandparents, because we called them Nana and Bumpah...well he didnt know they were his grandparents because we didnt call them grandma and grandpa!! He asked if the crosses on top of churches were plus signs and (just a few years ago when I got a "real" job) he asked me if I had the summer off. Oh to be young and clueless. As he enters the beginning of the real world I know he will make us all proud. He makes smart decisions, he knows he needs to work hard and play hard. He will have the best 4 years of his life.

Alex, I wish you the most fun and exciting time of your life. Study hard, play hard, enjoy walking to classes on crisp fall days, enjoy the LONG breaks college students get, enjoy cram sessions in the library, and late nights in the dorms. All of these things will go way too fast, and you will look back and wish you were 21 again! I hope you meet the best friends you will have forever, and maybe even a great girl who meets our standards. My last semester of college I took 19 hours to finish in 4 years, and I never wanted out of there so bad. Boy do I look back now and wish I could be in college taking 19 hours! Enjoy tailgaiting for football games and horse races Keeneland. But most importantly be smart and safe...we know you will.

Have the most amazing time of your life!!

I love you precious angel...and you better come home before Thanksgiving or we'll find you!