We arrived in Indiana at around 1:00pm and headed straight over to pick up Maddi. This gave her the opportunity to show us her house with her boyfriend, Dustin, and his roommate, to which she had just moved the previous week. She told us about it a couple days before we came to visit, so I was still adjusting to the idea of her living out of her father's house. It was very much the house of 18 to 20 year olds, but it didn't make me too worried or nervous (for the most part).
From there, we headed to the mall to do some shopping with Maddi to get a dress for our fancy dinner later that night. We found just the thing, a pretty navy dress with a sequined bodice. We also picked up some shoes that were great with dress but could also be worn on job interviews. Before leaving the mall, we decided to surprise her with a pre-paid flip phone with three months paid up on it.
With our shopping complete, we headed to the Galt House across the river in Louisville to check in. We had selected a suite for the night thinking that would be high class entertainment. But when you're 18 and living with your boyfriend, home is where the heart is. So, Maddi decided that she wouldn't be spending the night with us but we enjoyed the suite anyway. After checking in, Maddi opened her presents from the family. She was over the moon about a stuffed animal hedgehog she received, so my little girl hasn't totally grown up yet. She really liked the garnet earrings and necklace set Andrew and I got her to match the ring we got her for her Sweet 16. We went to hotel spa for manicures for dinner since we were being so fancy. After we got our nails done, we went back to the room to get ready for dinner.
The three of us put on our finery and headed upstairs to the 25th floor. We had chosen The Rivue for dinner, a rotating restaurant at the top of the hotel. It was really cool! We sat by the window and slowly spun around to see gorgeous views of Louisville and Indiana and the Ohio River. It was really delightful. We had a marvelous dinner. The food was tasty, the conversation pleasant and lively, and the waiter had just the right touch of humor and attention. We all ordered steaks and saved no room for desserts. Then they had a little candy cart that they brought around, and no one could resist the housemade chocolate-covered salted caramels. We returned to the room stuffed nearly to burst. We all changed clothes and headed over to New Albany to pick up Dustin so he could join us for some billiards.
We went to Bank Shots in Louisville, a favorite spot of mine where it's all pool and no nonsense. We were met by Rachel and Emily who came out to visit with us and celebrate Madison's big day. We got two tables. Maddi and Dustin played each other while Andrew and I took on Rachel and Emily. It took about an hour and a half for us to finish the first and only game. We all had a blast, laughing and carrying on, but we were embarrassingly bad pool players. It was a blast. Before long, Maddi was yawning and had tired eyes, just like since she was a baby. So we bid goodnight to Rachel and Emily and took home Madison and Dustin. And, just like that, my baby girl had become an adult woman. Wow.
That's how everything happened. I'm still processing how all of it made me feel. Before I knew she had moved out, I was already feeling very reflective about our journey together through these 18 years, the ups and downs and days between. I remember holding her in my arms for the first time and nearly bursting with joy at the perfect little human I had created. Then, in the intervening years, we both grew up, me from an adolescent and her from an infant. It is difficult to verbalize everything from in between; it's like flashes, from first words and first steps, to first grade, then first dance and first boyfriend, and so on. Everything happened so fast, but I would never change any of it. I am so proud of the person I raised and have so many hopes and dreams for her and her future. It's a mother's way, I guess. It all made me miss my own mother a lot too. She would be proud of both me and Madison for making it this far. And she would have been the first to tell me that, although Madison is an adult now, my job is far from over.
