Leaving the Roost

Tuesday morning I drove Rohan to the airport for his flight to Utah. Because he was traveling as an "unaccompanied minor" I was asked to stay in the airport until the flight took off. We got to the gate without any problems and waited for the flight to start boarding. I wasn't "worried" per se, but I was thinking of any possible problems and giving Rohan advice. I noticed that the overwhelming majority of people at the gate were middle aged women, who all seemed rather giddy and excited. After a few minutes of eavesdropping I realized Rohan was on a flight with a bunch of women going to a stamping convention in Salt Lake City. I don't think I could have hand-picked a safer group of flying companions for him. I was relieved to know that he would spend the flight in the company of these ladies. After his flight left I started heading for the parking lot when I was suddenly overcome with sadness and teared up a little. I realized that in just a few years he really will be leaving for bigger and better things, and not just a two week trip (unless his Sugden genes predominate in which case I think I can safely count on him living at home until he's at least 25, except of course for his mission).