August 2025

 I got very behind on this blog, and my intention is to go back and catch us up, but I wanted to at least start back by blogging Finley and Cainan's journey to dropping them off at college.

We left our house on August 17th to start the journey to drop them both off.  Cainan was up first.  His orientation started on August 18th at Lehigh.  He had signed up for their Pre-orientation program which gave him a few extra days to do something specialized before the rest of the orientation class (which is about 1500 kids total) arrived on campus.  I would say about 200-300 kids decided to do the pre-orientation so it made move in very easy.

On the 18th we showed up a bit before 8am and he grabbed his ID and key and we headed to his dorm.  He had already spoken to his roommate over the summer (a kid named Thomas who was also an engineering major).  Thomas was at band camp, so we had all morning t move him in if needed.  9 kids met our car at his dorm and within 5 minutes we were unloaded and all of his belongings in his room.  Cainan's move in went quick.  All 4 of us moving in a boy - didn't take long.  Within 1 1/2 hours he had everything where he wanted.  We realized he was short on socks, and we forgot his toothbrush and a toothbrush cover, but not bad!  Once he was moved in, we still had a lot of time before his orientation began, so we walked to the CVS to see if we could at least get the toothbrush and cover.  It gave him a chance to see where that was.  Then we walked around campus and explored a bit before it was time to say goodbye.  At Cainan's campus, 11:30am was the goodbye for parents and kids and when he would join his orientation group.  We kept it together well - we are so proud of him and excited for him more than sad that he will be away.  We are going to miss him, but I am so excited to see what he thinks of college and learning to be an engineer.  

His closet was bigger than it looks.  He had plenty for room and even we left a few empty drawers.

He had strated to set up his dest before we left.

He brought along a few art photos to hang that he had bought this summer at the Boston Comic Convention

We were able to raise his bed high enough that we could put a shelving unit under his bed that he could store snacks etc.  His dorm is small, but plenty of room for him and his roommate.  They also have aird conditioning in this dorm which was a nice perk.

Cainan's bed is on the left.  We laughed that his roommate also chose gray for his bedding.

Cainan is 8 weeks post a big mouth surgery and looking good!

It was hard to say goodbye, but I know he is going to do great things.

He is on the 3rd floor of his dorm.  It is a big freshmen dorm - especially for a school that is only about 6000 students.  It is in a nice location too for his classes and meals.

Lehigh is a beautiful campus.  This is the entrance to the admissions area

This s Cainan's dorm  It is called M&M - for McClintok and Marshall.  It is named for two students who went on to design the Golden Gate Bridge, The Panama Canal, and The Waldorf Historia.

Inside the newly remodeled main building.  They have places for the studnets to eat and study here and this ceiling was just so pretty.  There is a big fireplace at the end of it.

This is the building that everyone sees.  It is newly rennovated inside and really beautiful.

Entrance to their most gorgeous library

Lehigh's library is actually what attracted us to stop and see this school last year.  Cainan didn't even have it on his list.  But we decided to take a tour since we wanted to see this library up close and he ended up loving the school.

One of the engineering buildings.

After he left, Mat and I and Finley went to the parents luncheon.  It was a catered lunch in their newest building and it was really nice.  Upperclassmen students came around to talk to the families and we sat with the sophomore engineering student.  It was nice to hear how much she loves the school and the program.  We attended the welcome with the President and then headed out.  We were staying in Bethlehem for the night in case Cainan needed anything.  We did end up going to Target to grab him more socks and to pick up a few things.  We wandered around for the afternoon, and then returned to bring him the socks and say one last goodbye that evening.

The next day we headed out.  It was weird to leave him there, and even Finley stated a few times how weird it was to be without Cainan.  We headed to Lancaster next to explore the antique stores and spend some time with Finley before we had to take her to college.  We had a great time and even ended up buying new bedroom furniture from an Amish builder!  We ended our night at this huge smorgasboard that Mat had found online.  Finley got to experince seeing the Amish and see the horse and buggies on the highway and have some fun shopping before she headed off to school.

Just a small section of the massive Smorgasboard place we ate

Cainan was spotted at an engineering event at Lehigh.  They posted pictures on their facebook page.

The next day we headed to Carlisle.  Finley had to meet with Disability in the afternoon to get her key and her ID so that she was ready for the next morning.  Finley had gotten permission to move in a few day befoer the rest of the freshmen who were coming for their pre-orientation due to her vision impairment and needing to work with orientation and mobility before school started.  She was so excited to see her dorm room that she didn't want to wait until the next day to see what it looked like.  Once she was in, she wanted to start to move in, so we went and picked up her stuff from the storage unit and began to unload.  We got pretty far on Wednesday, and made a list of things she wanted to pick up over the next few days.

Thursday and Friday Finley was tied up with Orientation and Mobility from 8am-4pm.  Long days, so Thursday she didn't want to do any moving into the dorm.  We had dinner and relaxed instead.  Friday after her long day, she was feeling more like wanted to get more done, so we spent a few hours working on her dorm.  She had lifted her bed high, and we had ordered a rug and beanbag from local stores for her to make a little nook under her bed for a sitting area, so we put that together on Friday.  We had dinner and relaxed for the evening.  Saturday we let her sleep in knowing it was going to be the last one for awhile for her.  The afternoon we spent finishing up her room and doing some exploring of the town.  She decided on a local diner for dinner - it was a great way to wrap up the extra days we got to spend with her before she started orientation.  Finley's roommate is a second semester freshmen so she would not be moving in during the orientation week and Finley was a bit anxious about that.  However - we encouraged her to just start making friends and connections with the kids in orientation and her dorm and before she knew it, her roommate would be there. 

Finley's little nook under her bed

She made her room really cute.  She picked all different greens on purpose - said she wanted it to be more like the forest.

They gave them these bookshelves.  Personally I think a dresser would have been better, but it works for storage.  The white thing above it Finley brought

Her desk.  She brought the white thing to put on the desk to hold stuff

Her half of the closet.  It is bigger than it looks.  She has room for lots of clothes and we filled her drawers as well.

We ended up purchasing some hooks for her towels and her bag to just keep things organized.  Let's see how long it lasts.

Our college kid

Sunday morning Finley didn't have to show up early since she had her key and ID, but she still wanted to get to the dorm during move in to drop the last things off and gather anything she needed to start her week.  Her RA had her welcome bag with a few t-shirts and goodies.  At Dickinson, students accompany the parents to the welcome and the lunch.  Lunch was first in their cafeteria and then Mat had to get on the road for his long ride home.  My parents arrived because I was going to their house for 10 days after I left Finley (to be a bit closer just in case), so they got to also have lunch with her and went with us to the President's welome.  Then I dropped Finley with her pre-orientation leader and group and said goodbye.  It was hard to leave her there, but I know she is going to do great.  She will find her people and will find her way.  

My parents were excited to have a chance to see her dorm room.  I forgot to take a picture of Mat and I with her before he left.

Final goodbye before she started her orientation

So they are off on their new adventures.  We will see them both in a few weeks.  Cainan's parent's weekend is at the end of September, and I am sneaking in a quick visit with Finley at that time as well just to check in and bring them anything they need.  It will be nice to see them.  I am anxious to see how the start of classes go and what they think of this new lifestyle.  I know they are going to be just fine!