As the mom of a college sophomore and a HS senior I can speak from experience. I do miss having him home and all his friends that seemed at home here. Pictures do help, and especially IM. He fortunately taught me how to IM before he left and that is GREAT! As to loosing my 2nd son, that will leave me with only 1 at home. I believe this will be worse than the first. But, this I too will adjust. It will begin a new stage in my life and theirs, and afterall that is what we are raising them to do. I just hope they know that "home" will be a place they will always be welcomed to.