She's gone to Arizona

Eight days ago, this little peanut boarded a Southwest airplane and took off into the sky, heading westward ... Away from her mama. La has officially left us for the summer. Well, for six weeks anyway. Seems like a gol-darn lifetime to me.

This time was different from last year. Last year I cried for a few minutes, and then pulled myself together and went on with my day. This time I did not so much hold it together. Not one bit, actually. The minute she walked down the airplane tunnel thing with the flight attendant, I unleashed the ocean of tears that I had been damming back with all my might for the previous five days.

And I DID NOT STOP.

We waited in the concourse for La's plane to take off, Dr P holding my hand and telling me it will be ok, and me blubbering loudly, sporting a big red puffy face, snot everywhere.

It was very attractive.

A cute young couple chose to sit down across from us, oblivious to the river of tears and boogers that was raging across the aisle from them. Once their bottoms were firmly planted in the seats, that's when they realized they were directly across from The Thing With The Tears And The Goo, and commenced a series of nervous glances back and forth. With their eyes they said, "Should we get up and move somewhere else?" ... "No, we don't want to make it seem like we left because we're uncomfortable with that much, um, emotion." ... "and mucous." ... "Well, let's just look at the floor and hope she goes away."

But I just sobbed louder and blew my nose.

Dr P was wonderful. He just let me cry and cry while he held his stuff together like a champ. I'm not sure what I would have done without him. He was my rock. And my kleenex, poor chap.

I'm not sure why I was such an emotional basketcase this time. It might be because I'm not leading such a hectic life anymore. Last year I had my job and the hustle and bustle of the City to keep me occupied. I still have the job, but I'm working from home. In Alabama. Which is the exact opposite of working in the financial district of downtown Chicago.

Aunt M says I'm just miserable because I don't live by my sister anymore. She's sassy.

But I think it has a lot to do with the how wonderful things have been for us lately. For the second half of her school year, I've been there every day at 3:00 to pick her up after school. When school was out for three weeks, La and I spent every day together. Even while I worked, she sat right next to me watching cartoons or coloring. In the evening, Dr P would come home and we would have dinner together on the deck, and then go for a walk to the park or down the street to get ice cream. We were settled. Everything was perfect.

La seems to be doing great. She's called once since she's been there, and seems to be having a blast swimming and playing board games and snuggling Jersey The Cat and doing whatever else they've been doing.

I talked to my best friend, Meagan about how bummed out I am without La here. Meagan grew up doing the same thing La does, except she was in Colorado for the summers. She reassured me that although I'm feeling this way, La is surely having a grand ol' time with her dad. Meagan reminded me that even though her summers will be different from most kids', that doesn't mean they won't be every bit as great. One day she'll look back on these summers in Arizona and cherish them, just as Meagan does her summers in Colorado.

And that made me feel better. Thanks Meag.

I took this video the day before she left. It makes me smile. And it reminds me of what I have to look forward to when she returns.