It's funny how college can change the relationship between a parent and child. It certainly has changed mine.

Since my daughter went away to school, we talk EVERYDAY. She calls up and says the same thing:

"Whatcha doin'?"

My standard response is, "On the computer."

Then she says, "Guess what?"...and proceeds to tell me a story about something that happened in one of her classes or on the campus.

It's so funny because when we were living in the same house,there were times when we would go without speaking for days. Menopause and PMS ruled our worlds!

But now it seems there is less stress and anxiety to deal with. We're getting along very nicely from a distance. The truth of the matter is, I believe we have come to a point where we are really learning to respect each other. My daughter is finally starting to see there has been a method to my "You better get your butt in gear!" madness for the past four years. I, meanwhile, am seeing a caterpillar begin to break out into a beautiful butterfly.

Yeah, both of us are still a little rough around the edges with even more growing to do----but we now know we have a purpose----and it's a little boy named Jarod.