Honeymooning.....In a Small Town

We live in a college town.  Actually a two-college town. 

So as you can imagine, life here in our only place to shop is Walmart one horse town revolves a lot around those colleges and their professors and their students.  Everything we do, from church to restaurants to Walmart to just driving through town, is affected by college life.

So it is no surprise that my kids have been talking since the day they were born about when they get to go to college.  They are fascinated with the huge buildings of higher education that we drive past daily and are always asking questions about when they "get to go to school in that building" or when they "get to go and live there."

We have family debates over which university is better (playful banter, of course, because in no way are we locking our kids into school here....in no way).  We occasionally go to football games and pretend like we care who wins.  And even though one of these schools is my alma mater and my heart should be swollen with pride every time someone mentions its name, college life has become everyday and not super special anymore.  I think that just happens when you live here, and when college students being back for the year just means longer lines at Walmart and more people to take up your booths and tables at the few restaurants that you do have. 

So yesterday's conversation in the car started out like many others that involve going to college, but quickly turned...uh...weird.

KEATON:  Hey, Mom...uh...when do I get to go to college?

ME:  (thinking Here we go again.)  When you graduate from high school, kiddo.

KEATON:  And then Saw and Tate go to college, right?

ME:  That's the plan.

KEATON:  So what are you going to do when all of us are gone to college?

ME:  (thinking to myself) Sleep! And have a clean house!

ME:  (to Keaton)  Well, I'll cry, of course.  Because I'll miss you guys.

KEATON:  But, Mom.  Then you'll be able to go have lots of honeymoons with dad.  You'll be happy.  You know it.


Uh..stammer...stutter...trip over my tongue...what?....Honeymoons?....huh?....say what?.....

I have no idea where he gets this stuff.