Brian’s Blog/ She’s Leavin’ On a Jet Plane

Our oldest daughter is going to a leadership workshop next week. In Missouri. On her own. Is Dad nervous? What do you think?

My wife and adopted our oldest daughter, Autumn, when she was just shy of 5 years old. Since then, she has excelled at all levels in the West Valley schools. She is an athlete, an artist and musician, gets great grades and is absolutely gorgeous. (The last part worries me, but that's another story)

She is also involved in West Valley's S.A.D.D (Students Against Destructive Decisions) program, and our church's youth group.

Some of the ladies in our church have been watching Autumn grow since she was 5, and decided to offer her a chance to attend a workshop this month at Cottey College in Nevada, Missouri. These ladies are involved in various chapters of P.E.O. here in town. P.E.O. stands for Philanthropic Educational Association, and Cottey College is owned by the organization.

I have no doubt she will do great, but I'm just a bit nervous. She's not quite 16, and this will be her first unattended flight of any kind. She will fly to Kansas City this weekend, halfway across the country. And we won't be there to help guide her travel. She's flown since she was 4 and a half, so she knows how to negotiate an airport.