Learning to let go

It happens, seemingly in the blink of an eye.  They just grow up so fast...

It's all part of growing up, I guess, learning to let go.  Being an at-home parent has meant I had control of who/what/where/when, for all our kids.  I am the one, learning to let go now.

Our oldest Monkey, is getting a wonderful gift from my sister.  My sister is flying our Monkey to her home, and then taking her (and all my sister's extended family) on a vacation to the Carolinas.  This will be a two week trip, Monkey's first extended trip without us.  Most of the people she will be with, she will meet for the first time.  This will push her a bit out of her comfort zone.

She is excited to go.  It's been in the planning and waiting stages for months now.  Her siblings, Monkeys 2 & 3, are excited too...that they get two weeks without their big sister!  Little do they realize, they will have to do HER share of the chores, in addition to their own work loads!

I'm actually doing fine with the concept.  Mostly... mostly it is the realization that she is nearly a 'legal' adult now.  Only a couple more years to go, and she will be able to vote.   And enlist.  And drive.  But NO dating until she is 47!  HA!

Loaded out, and pulling away from the terminal, there was a prayer or two uttered.  As a mom, it just comes with the territory.  I know she will have fun.  And it wasn't that hard, putting her on the plane.  

So I watched, as the jet rumbled down the long runway at Love Field, slowly gaining speed and pulling up, breaking free of the grip of gravity and the Earth, taking with it, our eldest child, on her big adventure.