Blair left for Atlanta today.  She has an opportunity to work for 8 days in a field she wanted to explore before she graduates.  It has absolutely nothing to do with the degree which she is four months away from earning but what fun would that be to work in the field you're studying?  Anyway, she's driven places by herself, of course, but never quite that far and into traffic as crazy as Atlanta's.  When she left here, I felt kind of like we were on that Subaru commercial where the parents are watching their daughter getting ready to drive off and suddenly she turns 5 again in their minds. 
Sure, I know it's not like it was when I was her age.  Back in the day, we'd just have to sit on the side of the road in our broken down car until someone realized we were missing or we'd have to get out the gigantic map and unfold it for a couple of hours until we could see where we were.  Now, there are cell phones, GPS, internet, and all those things we didn't have back then.  But, there are also drunk drivers, distracted drivers, road construction, high crime areas, road rage, flat tires, and a host of other possibilities.  Yeah, kids have to grow up but for moms it can feel like we're sending them off in their little red and yellow Cozy Coupe to maneuver the world the best they can. 

Of course, I had to hide any concerns I may have had about all of it from my mother because if you think a mother has trouble seeing her children as grown then you should see how their grandmother views them......
I am happy to report that Blair made it safely.  Davis and I felt great relief when she texted us.  She's staying with our former cool neighbors....not to imply that they're no longer cool because they are certainly still, oh, so very cool........they're just, sadly, no longer our neighbors.  They have rolled out the red carpet for her and we appreciate their hospitality so very much.
Along those same lines, Carson and I had a night out together a few days ago.  We try to find an excuse to do that every couple of weeks.  I have the best time with that boy!  We grabbed some dinner and then shopped around for a new pair of Van's for him.  I was sitting across the table from my son and noted how he was looking so much older.  Seems like I was just cutting up his chicken and blowing his hot mashed potatoes a couple of months ago.  I could still see that little boy in there somewhere but there was also this unfamiliar, more mature person who I would catch a glimpse of from time to time. 

We joked and laughed over dinner.  He was a gentleman and treated me like a lady.  Someone who we knew walked in and he rose to his feet, looked him in the eye, and shook his hand.  Like a man.  We left the restaurant and the mother inside me would've been happy to just strap him into a car seat in the back.......but he drove me home instead.   I know it won't be long before he'll be driving off without me, too.

And I'll get through it.........just like I did today.

Oh, if only everyone could see us like our mothers do!  We'd all look so much younger! 


Y'all have a great Monday!