There is something about standing in a parking lot, waving goodbye to your child, who is on a bus, headed out of town. My stomach is in knots, I bravely stand and wave, smiling all the time.
The first time my daughter went away without me, she was on a trip to a church sports camp at Carson Newman College... I could be there within 6 or 7 hours, no problem. As I waved goodbye to her that day, my pastor stood next to me and told me to just wave and smile. No matter that I wanted to throw myself in front of the bus and beg them to let her off of the bus, I know, a little dramatic, but that is how I felt!! She made it through the week, had a wonderful time, and I survived.
Since then, she has been to Boston, Toronto, North Carolina, Mississippi, Mexico, Germany...all without me, all successful, wonderful trips!!
This morning, she was headed to the airport, on her way to Costa Rica with the Global Explorers group from her school. They will be doing a service project, exploring the rain forest, riding on a zip line through the tree tops(!), visiting a pineapple plantation and lots of hiking. Oh, and they will be joined by 4 hearing impaired students, their interpreters, two guides and two teachers. In preparation for the trip, they have been studying sign language in order to communicate with the students joining them. I think they were looking forward to being somewhere warm, even though it might be rainy!!
So, as I stood there this morning, with my friend Kelly, waving and smiling, I am proud of how hard they worked in preparing for the trip. I am excited for the adventures they will experience.
And most of all, I am looking forward the the tiny silver airplane that will bring her home again.
2 comments:
Oh, where have all the years gone? How wonderful that Chelsea has all these exciting
opportunities.
Prepare yourself . . . soon she is going to want to go without her guides, teachers, and interpreters.
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