She's my grown up baby and best friend

When my daughter was little I truly couldn't imagine the day when she'd be "all grown up" and gone from the house. I realized fairly quickly that the process of college was invented to give parents enough time to let go. By the time my daughter Alex was a senior in college, I was good to go and ready for the empty house and holidays spent elsewhere. She spent the next year traveling and popped in occasionally for weeks at a time. During her first year of law school at UF, she came home with some regularity. Now she's in her second year of law school in Washington DC and I can see how our relationship has moved to a completely new level. And it's a very nice feeling.

I'm heading up to visit her for a long weekend in a few hours and it's a unique feeling to be going to her home (granted it's a DC studio the size of a large Naples closet but it's HERS). I'm promising myself not to rearrange anything or even clean up. I'm going to be her guest and enjoy every minute of it!

I'm remembering those days when I worried about what it would be like to not have her living at home and smile. This is every bit as good as the first day of Kindergarten or watching her dance recitals. It's the warm, happy feeling of knowing your job is done and it was done well. I have an incredible daughter who is now my best friend. I also have a free place to stay right in the heart if DC! Life is good.