Milestones

I am feeling pretty crappy right now. Not sick-wise, but I just have this lump in my throat.

I dropped off my son's overnight bag at school, wished him luck, told him that I wouldn't embarrass him by hugging him in front of everyone, gave him some extra quarters, and told him to call me when they get to the hotel. Then he ran back into the school to go to his DI meeting.

Yep, my son is going on a overnight trip to a school competition... without me. He and two other boys on their team are riding with their DI teacher, and the one girl on the team is riding with her mother. They have to go tonight, because their studio time for their first event is at 8:20 am, and the competition is three hours away.

It isn't like he hasn't been away from home without me before. It's just that the world is such a big place for an eleven-year-old, and to be in a hotel room with just a couple of kids and no adult is something that I did not think would happen for a few years yet. I am perfectly comfortable with the thought of sending him off for a weekend of camping with the scouts, even though there are all sorts of opportunities for accidents. I know those people, and trust them completely. Not a problem. It's just that HOTEL is just a scary concept.

That's why the tears are kind of hanging out behind my eyes, just waiting to be set off. I didn't anticipate getting so choked up about this.

I'm going home after work and pulling the covers up over my head until it goes away...