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From our family to yours, #HappyThanksgiving!

A post shared by Michelle Obama (@michelleobama) on Nov 27, 2019 at 2:29pm PST

Every time I see the Obamas I’m reminded of what a wonderful family they were. I miss them so much but am comforted by the fact that Barack’s legacy is impeccable, that his wife and children are beloved, and that the orange one will be a pariah for the rest of his days wherever he goes. Michelle is one of the cover women for People’s Women of The Year and they’ve since released more segments online of their interview with her. She talks about dropping their youngest daughter Sasha, 18, off at college, and about having more alone time with Barack and how they’re rediscovering each other. They just bought an incredible $11.75 million estate on Martha’s Vineyard, most likely made possible by the proceeds from Michelle’s book. The Obamas are couples goals and I enjoyed the way she described spending time with Barack now that their daughters are out of the house. Here are excerpts from her interview with People.

On how emotional it was to drop Sasha off at college
“Time just goes so fast. But like so many experiences in the last 10 years, we wanted to make it feel as normal as possible, given our family’s circumstances,”

“It was of course a little emotional to drop Sasha off at college,” says Mrs. Obama, admitting “the tough part” has been “missing our girls.”

“It’s an adjustment to see each other for a weekend here, a holiday break there, but the moments we do spend together feel extra special because of it,” she says.

“We were there, just like most parents, helping her unpack and make her dorm room feel like home,” Mrs. Obama says.

On letting their daughters be independent
“Barack and I try to make sure that our daughters know that there’s no limit to what they can be or what they can achieve,” Mrs. Obama tells PEOPLE. “They don’t learn that if their parents treat them like delicate little ornaments, set aside so they won’t break. Girls need to have the chance to create and explore and skin their knees from time to time, too.”

“But by and large, we let her take care of herself,” she continues. “As a parent, one of the most important things we can give our children is the freedom to find their own way in the world.”

“The most gratifying part of it all has been watching the girls enter into their next phase of independence,” Mrs. Obama says. “Our role as parents is to raise self-sufficient, thoughtful, and compassionate individuals, and in order for them to fully embrace their own journeys, we have to be willing to let them go, so that they can grow on their own. That’s the only way they can become more.”

On reconnecting with Barack now that their daughters are at school
“We’ve rediscovered all these little pockets of time, just me and Barack, that for a couple decades have been filled with school events or sports practices,” Mrs. Obama, 55, tells PEOPLE. “We’re taking full advantage of this new normal, simply spending time with each other and remembering what brought us together in the first place.”

“Sometimes I’ll get a glimpse of him and just go, ‘Hey you! Where have you been for 21 years?’ ” she continues. “It’s been fun. The tough part, of course, is missing our girls. It’s an adjustment to see each other for a weekend here, a holiday break there, but the moments we do spend together feel extra special because of it.”

[From two stories on People.com]

Michelle also said that she can text her daughters, unlike when she was at school and had to connect with her mom on the phone. I went to school in the early 90s and my parents had AOL dial-up internet. My mom and I used to send long emails to each other and it was so nice. I wish I still had them somewhere. Now I’m on the other side of that, like Michelle, and my son is set to graduate in 2021. I’m trying to savor my time with him, to prepare him to be independent, and to be able to move into the next chapter of my life. Michelle makes it sound wonderful, like she’s enjoying life and ready for whatever is next. I really admire her and want the best for her, Barack and their daughters.

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