rising from phoenix

We were up at 5 to head to the airport. We both had trouble getting up without the canyon calling us. A quick shower and we’re off before they started the “continental breakfast” at the hotel. Ah, another long day en route. About 10 minutes into the trip to the airport, rush hour began at 6:15. “Where do these people work?” It was stop and go for 30 minutes until we got south of I-10 and headed around the bottom of Phoenix.
Jack and I were separated by 8 rows on the plane. We stopped in Denver, but still couldn’t get seated together. Beside me is a lady who seems also to be separated from a traveling companion, and maybe would have braved the bulkhead to trade with Jack, but I decided not to ask when I realized that it was another step of independence for him. Every time I checked on him he seemed so grown up and fine.
We flew to Denver, then to Orlando, then to Charlotte where the rest of the Fam picked us up and whisked us off in the rain to Razzoo’s to cap the whole weekend off with Rat Toes.
It was a long ride home from Charlotte in the driving rain, but here we are, safe and sound. Changed.