My eldest daughter made it to O'Hare. She'll be in Budapest in 20 hours.

[HopeHoops]

Damn will she be tired.

My wife is still a mess. Her boyfriend (in the house right now) seems to be handling it okay. Her two younger sisters are a mess, but one is with my father. Her dog is crashed by the front door, hoping she'll come home. I seem to be the only one who has a "fuck it -she's an adult and has to make her own path" attitude. Am I wrong?

If you love something, set it free. If it comes back, it is yours. If it doesn't, it never was.

My late girlfriend from the early 80's loved that line. I saw her die.

[seabeyond]

1. ya. i would be there with you

cheering her along to live....

good for you.

everyone will settle down. and yea your daughter.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. My dear HopeHoops...

You're not wrong! But everyone handles these moments their own way...

It's tough when the first chick leaves the nest. I thought I would die of a broken heart that first year she went off to college.

You have a very pragmatic point of view, and I respect that. The rest of your family will sure need your support...

It does get better.

[trof]

7. Empty Nest Syndrome

Lasted about two weeks for us.
Then the sense of freedom set in.
Yeah, I'm heartless.

[Ptah]

3. If you love something, set it free.

If you love someone, set her free.

[handmade34]

4. how exciting...

when each of my kids went out of country I was excited for them but I understand the trepidation too...

[pink-o]

5. Oh boy...sounds like my family when I moved to London @ 18!

Although it was my dad who had such a hard time with it, mom was cool. And I did come back, spent much of my parents' golden years traveling with them and sending them off to Europe on their own (I have airline benefits). I promise you, once your kids get out into the world, they gain a HUGE appreciation for all you've done.

I never had kids, but if my virtual daughter came to me at 18 and told me she wanted to move 6000 miles away, I'd tell her the only place she was moving was back to her room and she was grounded until she was 35!!! She could call me a hypocrite till she turned blue, but I truly don't think I'd have the fortitude to let my child go like my parents did for me.

I heard this song about 2 years after I left, and it just made me cry. I guess it's about someone letting a lover go, but I've always thought of it from my Mom's point of view. Check it out:

[elleng]

6. You're right,

and in our family, 'free' was a year in England (for me,) and a semester in Rome (for my daughter, who didn't want to return! She did, and 1,1/2 years later married, in Philly.)
My Dad was maybe the bringer of the travel genes, my brother is now in Bhutan.
There's a big world out there.
I certainly understand family concerns about missing a member, but was just at Kitty Hawk: we have AIRPLANES, everyone!

[HopeHoops]

8. Thanks everyone. I'll update the post when she lets me know she's in Budapest.

[HopeHoops]

9. UPDATE: HER LAST PLANE LANDED (like a minute ago).

I kept updating the British Airways screen about every two minutes like a worried father - D'OH!!!

The A320 just landed in Budapest. I should be hearing from her in a couple of hours, well, if she doesn't pass out as soon as she hits the hotel room. She's been up since 7 a.m. yesterday morning.

[47of74]

10. I remember my flights to Italy and back

Those were always long days. The flights over weren't as bad as the ones coming back.

I had no trouble getting adjusted to CET but getting back on to CDT always took longer. On my trips to Italy I would take a nap for a couple hours as soon as I hit the hotel room, got up and was able to participate in the evening's activities, and then slept good that night.

[Swede]

11. I have many ethnic Hungarian friends. They are a fun loving people.

Love music and dance,food and drink. I learned lots of Hungarian swears in grade school.
Ate my friends' mom's cooking,etc. If the home country is like it's grandsons&daughters,she will have a great time.

[HopeHoops]

14. Send me a PM with some of those "Hungarian swears" - she might need them.

[LiberalAndProud]

12. I listened to this on a continuous loop when my oldest daughter left home.

[HopeHoops]

13. UPDATE (3 p.m. ET) : I just talked to her on Skype.

It's 9 p.m. there, but she and her two room mates are heading out to explore after being awake for 32 hours straight. That's what I would have done at that age!!!