My baby girl wants to join the Army

She left this morning for her preliminary physical.

I'm really struggling with this.

Just less than a year ago, our beautiful baby girl (okay, she's 17 now, but she'll always be our baby!) announced her intention to join the military after high school.

I thought it was just a passing phase, and for a while, when she fell briefly in love with a terrific young man, I began to think she would change her mind.

But she's now a senior in high school, and is determined to pursue this path.

Victoria has never been the "conventional" girl.....she stopped wearing dresses at the age of 5, has never been interested in make-up, and despises her thick, beautiful hair (that some females would KILL for!) because "it's so hot! I can't stand it on my neck!" so she pulls it up into a ponytail. Her favorite outfit is a rock band t-shirt and a pair of jeans (big baggy shorts if the weather is warm).

On the one hand, I'm so proud of her! She's never truly adapted to the whole "school thing" and has struggled academically for the past 12 years. I admire that she accepts that she needs some kind of training after high school so she will be employable, but doesn't see that training coming in the form of a college degree. So she's investigated the benefits the military offers, and has decided this is the path she wishes to take.

On the other hand....hey, I'm a mom. This is my baby girl. Can she handle the rigors of boot camp? Will she be happy with her career choice? What if she isn't? I can't rescue her from this one.

Maybe that's the hardest thing I'm dealing with....the letting go. Once she signs on the dotted line, there's no turning back, and there's nothing I can do to help her. Except pray.

She left at 1:30 this morning to drive 3 hours to have her preliminary physical. I'm so proud. I'm so scared.