My first baby is flying solo today. She’s an unaccompanied minor, cruising at a ridiculous altitude toward her grandparents’ city 450 miles away.
Aidan’s school has two spring breaks. I never got two spring breaks? Did you?
Anyway, she decided it would be lovely to spend Spring Break II with her paternal grandparents. She spent her week-long Fall Break with my parents, so it only made sense for her to spread granddaughterly sunshine in equal parts. She invited herself both times, and all four grandparents graciously accepted.
My husband and I were left with the small detail of figuring out how to get her to her vacation destination this time. Because they live a good day’s drive away, we thought about meeting them in a small city about halfway in between. Round trip, it would require about 8 hours and a full tank of gas. Rinse, repeat next weekend. It would be ridiculously expensive, plus time consuming.
Airfares right now are lower than the cost of a couple of tanks of gasoline, we realized. A round-trip ticket on Southwest was very reasonable, so we decided to buy a ticket for her and send her off into the wild blue yonder. She’s nearing eleven years old and is mature and and a good kid. We’d give her this adventure.
Aidan was ecstatic when we told her of our plan. She literally counted down the days, plotted her packing, weighed airplane reading materials to take, obsessed over snack availability during the 1 hour 20 minute flight, and dreamed of fun things to do in the sunnier-than-ours spot.
The airline was able to assure us they’d take good care of her. My husband took her to the airport this morning. He had to fill out reams of paperwork and was allowed to go with her all the way to the gate, even through security. They tagged her. She will sit in the front. He won’t leave until she is in the air. Upon arrival, the flight attendant will take her off the plane and turn her over to my in-laws, who will be allowed to meet her at the gate as long as they provide the same information and IDs we indicated they would.
They won’t just turn her over to any random person standing around the gate.
She’ll be gone for a whole week.
It will be quiet around here, except for the thumping of my heart while she’s in the air, almost unaccompanied.
UPDATE 12:17 pm The Forgotten Time Zone Daylight Time (TFTZDT): My husband just called. He wasn’t allowed to leave the gate until she was in the air. She is. Just now. I burst into tears!? I can think of a zillion reasons why. I didn’t think it would be this hard. It’s like the first day of Kindergarten. Small steps out our door, with bigger events and challenges building upon each other as time flies by…
UPDATE 1:21 pm TFTZDT: She’s on the ground, safe and sound. My husband just talked to my father-in-law and Aidan. She had a great flight. With snacks!
I tracked her flight using Flightstats, which allowed me to see EXACTLY where she was on a Google Earth map, including her longitude, latitude, air speed (450 MPH! bestillmyheart), altitude, bearing, etc. It was cool and comforting to watch her progress.
Aww…I’m almost crying just reading that you cried. My only “letting go” thus far has been leaving Anja with a sitter. My time will come, too. Faster than I want it to.
Heidi’s last blog post..Flat Stanley Friday (a re-post)
I agree, I’ve done it with my kids but I know I would have all the same emotions.
noble pig’s last blog post..A Kick To The Ribs
That is a big step. A brave little girl and even braver parents to let her go. It’s going to be a great experience for her.
Hope she has a great time at the in-laws too 🙂
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My oldest will be 7 in Aug. I am so not there yet! She is a brave girl! You are a brave Mama! She will have so much fun!
Happy Mommy’s last blog post..Poverty
My daughter is only 4 so this seems really incredible to me. But it was barely over an hour so not a huge deal in the scheme of things, I guess and I am sure she felt so grown up!
Wow. You know, I’ve left my kids and gone to another continent, which was really hard, but so far I haven’t sent them off. But good for you. And I bet she has the time of her life!
edj’s last blog post..Random Ramblings
Wow. I cannot imagine. I really can’t…You’re very brave. Do you have any fingernails left?
It’s really wonderful of you to do this for her. I wonder if she’ll ever know what it all meant.
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You gave her wings! Literally! Bravo, mama. I hope she has a wonderful time with the grands.
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Two spring breaks???? Wow! My heart began beating faster with yours, just remembering my oldest daughter’s first solo flight at 10.
It won’t be long and you’ll be going through the same feelings as you say good bye at her dorm room of her favorite college. It doesn’t get any easier. It just lasts longer.
Joanne’s last blog post..Get A Life 2
My heart is in my throat just thinking about it. Who is braver? Aidan or Mama?
Megan@SortaCrunchy’s last blog post..Bloggy Giveaway!
Wow! I need to let go more and not baby my kids so much. I hope she is having a fabulous week! And I’m sure her flight home will go just as wonderfully 🙂
Ann’s last blog post..Captivated
You mean they grow up and become more independent? Ack! (Just kidding.)
Hope she is having a wonderful week.
You are one brave, brave woman. I won’t let them go to a public bathroom alone. Kidding.
nutmeg’s last blog post..Little Lady
I totally know the feeling. Our 14 yo daughter headed off on a Greyhound bus to Wash DC at 4:30am this morning on a 5 day long 8th grade class trip. Heavily chaperoned, of course, but not by us! She’s alone in a big city!
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