Times TWO

Almost 19 years ago I found out I was going to have twins. The next afternoon I attended a senior class meeting (I was a class sponsor) and listened to all the expenses the students were going to have to deal with over the next few weeks - graduation invitations, caps and gowns, prom tickets, yearbooks. The list seemed to go on and on. I thought to myself, "All this times two! How will we ever do it?" I really had no idea what we were in for. I was only hearing about a few of the expenses of being a senior in high school. My eyes were opened (just a little) for the first time three years ago when JB was going through the process. He was pretty sure where he wanted to go to school and only applied to one or two schools. He didn't re-take any standardized tests to try to get a better score. All in all, he was pretty cheap. And he didn't prepare me for this year at all!

Once again, tonight I was asked for the "college card". The new name for my debit card used to pay the application fees for each college. That card has gotten a workout the past 17 weeks. It's a wonder they don't have the number memorized. Two kids, a minimum of 4 schools each! Plus SAT fees, ACT fees, the fees to send scores to more schools, theatre program application fees, unknown fees. Before I know it we'll be paying dorm reservation fees and freshman orientation fees... Fees, fees, fees! I'm sure there are others I've forgotten about in the past three years. 

Next fall there will be three of them in school. It's a little scary, but I'm so proud of all of them for working hard enough to even have the opportunity to get there. Three out of three have put my poor little card to work in preparation to prepare for their "real" lives. I don't know if they'll make it in the world as an archaeologist or an actor or a nutritionist, but I know they will work had and do their best and be successful in whatever they ultimately decide to do.