Musing S’more about My Kid Flying Solo

/ Katybeth

August 10, 2011: S’more Day
Food of the Day for a Year Goal
Day: #35

 

S’mores are about the only thing I liked about Girl Scouts. Oh wait, that is not true—I also really like Thin Mints! But doesn’t everyone? I know let’s muse over thin mints! Here have one.

Cole took off for Albuquerque on Wednesday, which meant I was going to have to fix my own s’mores. We have an agreement: I will always butter his toast if he will always fix my s’mores. I think it’s a fair agreement.

The boy left for Albuquerque on Wednesday. He has been flying on his own to see his grandparents since he was about 6. He was so sad when he turned 12 and had to give up his “child flying unaccompanied” status. He loved the early boarding and the extra snacks the flight attendants always seemed to find for him. I told him time to grow up; life isn’t all about an extra package of honey-roasted peanuts.

On this trip, my plan was to drop off Cole at the airport curbside. I no longer had to park and pay, wait in lines to fill out forms so I could go through security with him, or watch and wait while he went through security. He watched the movie Up in the Air with George Clooney and was ready to navigate the airport like a pro.

We pulled up to the Southwest Airline curb and, with a kiss and a hug, my handsome boy jumped out of the car, tossed his carryon over his shoulder, and walked off confidently. Right before he walked through the airport doors, he stopped and turned back to smile and wave at me.

I smiled and waved back. The little boy in my memory, with his travel credentials swinging around his neck and walking onto the plane with his hand firmly holding the flight attendant’s hand, was now a teen glowing with confidence, ready to take off—but not without first looking back to smile and wave at his mom. I smiled and waved back, reassuring him like moms always do—that no matter how far away he went, I wasn’t going anywhere.

On the way home I stopped at the store and bought a bag of giant marshmallows, a box of graham crackers, and two chocolate bars, and went home to make my own s’mores

 

I’m sure my mother will butter Cole’s toast for him—she still butters mine!

Emily was busy making a birthday cake so she celebrated S’more Day by sending us S’more recipes to live by.

10 Unique S’Mores Recipes That Will Have You Begging for S’More

I will see you back here a little later today to muse about Raspberry tarts. I’m a little behind but I’m catching up!

♥
Kb

7 thoughts on “Musing S’more about My Kid Flying Solo”

  1. Once again you brought tears to my eyes. That little moment, when Cole turned back to smile and wave, was so much more than a moment. It signified something much bigger and you both knew it. He is growing up and little by little moving toward becoming an adult, becoming independent. I remember that same moment with my own son, at the airport, when he flew for the first time without the tag, all alone. Like Cole he was full of confidence and happy to be on his own, smiling and waving goodbye. That “moment” is one of those markers in life, a ‘rites of passage’ so to speak.
    Glad you made s’mores to get you through it! 8)

  2. S’more are so good but so gooey! Lets hope that Cole is only taking travel advice from Up in the Air and not not relationship advice. I loved that movie.

    A

  3. Loved your story of Cole taking off solo — you’ll really see what that means when you drop him off at college, particularly if he goes far away! You’re wise to let him grow up in steps like this; being at grandma’s is kind of like being at home, only not. Grandmas spoil them, then send them back!

  4. We are enjoying Cole’s visit, as always. Last evening we decided to make Smoothies. I suggested we Google it and see if they had any fresh ideas. We found a recipe that sounded good so we clicked on it and read it through together. When we got to the part of putting it in the blender and then read, plug in the blender, we got hysterical. I mean, plug in the blender!!! If your so dumb you don’t kmow to plug it in should you even HAVE a blender??? How nice to have a guy around who shares my sense of humor so well.
    I’m going to miss him when he leaves.
    TTFN
    M

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