And Then She Was Gone

I think there was definitely a part of me that did not believe the day would actually come. I knew that it had to, obviously, but I guess I just didn't believe it.

It was more than 18 years away. And then, all too soon, it happened. She's not at home any more.

She is a college freshman. I don't fully understand how this little girl can be on her own at college:

But she is. 

She has her apartment. She has her roommates. She has her books. She has her student ID with Dining Dollars loaded on so she doesn't starve while she is on campus during the day.

In 4 years, she will graduate from college again, only without the pacifier. Unless, of course, we decide to do one of those "recreate old family photo" moments. That would be fun. I bet she would love it.

I cannot adequately express in any known human language how incredibly proud I am of this young woman. I am now, officially, an NAU Dad.

And I can neither confirm nor deny that any of the below-pictured individuals were crying just before this picture.

Neither can I confirm nor deny that NAU Mom and NAU Dad left later than they needed to in order to pick up the NAU Brothers from NAU Grandma's because they were dragging their feet because they didn't want to leave their NAU Baby Girl in Flagstaff.

She is going to do awesome things. She has good friends with her to lean on and they to lean on her. It's nice to start out with that. And I can comfort myself to know that I will see her in just over 2 short (yet very long) weeks from now.