Leaving Hadley behind

I had tried to prepare myself.

I had rehearsed the moment a thousand times.

Just like something as dramatic as a Jane Austen Novel, I, the wise, thin, beautiful intelligent mother would stoop down to look at my perfect, clean, well-behaved daughter eye to eye. She would have big tears welled up in her eyes at the thought of me not being there for her. Chad would stand there, strong but a little emotional.
It would be a very moving scene.

Nope, as soon as we got to Chad's parent's house in Nashville, she opted to ask us to leave right then and there. She told us "she would be fine" and ran off to play with her cousin, Analayne.

Thinking it would get worse as the day drug on, I kept an eye out for any kid of insecurity she might show about the trip.

The only thing she showed was a desire to get rid of us as quickly as possible.

This was a classic example of me imagining that it would be much, much worse than it was. We have now talked to her twice and she tells us she loves us and she will see us soon.

No tears,
no tantrums..

Well, at least not from Hadley...