So Real

This afternoon I had the chance to video chat with my daughter.  There she sat in her full camouflage uniform having returned from a Marine Corps exercise.  Just a little 6 mile "hump" along with various obstacle courses.  You know - a typical Saturday morning. As she told me about her Marine Corp field exercises, I couldn't help but think.....where did the time go?  There she was, hair pulled back, in uniform, returning from a difficult training exercise, confident, smiling, ready for anything. I had to think - so this is how it will be.  This is a sneak peek into our future.  She will be off on dangerous missions and I will wait for our video chat all the while never thinking about what she is ACTUALLY doing.  You can't really think about what they ACTUALLY do - because it is way too mind-boggling when it is your sweet little baby out there.  Today my little baby didn't look so little.  Today my little  baby looked all grown up. She has less than one month until she graduates from the Naval Academy and then she is off to Quantico for Marine Corp Basic School training. All of the sudden.....this is just so real. I think.....my baby...is no longer....my baby. Semper Fi.