I meant to write this before but got really busy this past week. About 2 weeks ago I sent my oldest daughter Yv to spend her Spring break with my parents in New York. It was the very first time she went anywhere without my wife or me, and we were all very nervous about the whole thing.

I worked from home that day so I wouldn’t have to drive back from work and then to the airport. Yv was very excited and nervous at the same time, as she carefully packed her things into her school backpack. As I was trying to finish a couple of things before I finished my day I didn’t get caught up in the packaging process, but soon after lunch as we all set at the table it hit me: my daughter was leaving on a trip all by herself… and she’s only 6! Now, I don’t mean to sound dramatic, but those who do know me well know how attached I am to my kids. The remainder of the afternoon was spent explaining to her how the whole “flying-by-yourself” process worked and how she would have someone accompanying her during the flight.

Eventually we drove her to the airport… and the closer I got to it, the heavier my heart felt. We stayed with her at the boarding gate until she finally boarded the plane… and even as the airplane took off, we were all there (baby Kate, Elizabeth and I) watching it…

Funny how in less than 10 years my life completely changed and how it is now affected by my two daughters. Needless to say, the trip was uneventfull and Yv had a blast with my folks in New York. But could this experience be just a preview to what is awaiting for me when they one day go off their own way? I’m definitely not prepared for that.