"bye, mommy..."

Mary Shannon left for NYC today to shoot a commercial and take in various meetings. Mary Catherine and I took her to the airport and then went to watch planes take off until we saw Mommy's plane (Sunday morning is not the busiest time at XNA). MCA is obsessed by the idea of New York and can't wait to go. I brought her a children's book "A Walk in New York", by Salvatore Rubbino (great book, I highly recommend) when I was in the city a couple weeks ago and she has a remarkable comprehension of the things she'd like to see. She asked her mom if she was at the Statue of Liberty today when she called to tell us she arrived.

I've traveled non-stop this year logging over 50K miles to date, Shannon has done a masterful job of being here for both of us. We both knew and agreed to the travel commitment Collective Bias would require before I took the plunge. So now, I'm making the most of my time with my daughter, we left straight from the airport and went to the Tulsa Zoo http://whrrl.com/experience/story/18356123, it was a perfect day. My daughter has gained my love of car travel (not shared by her mother) so I look forward to many road adventures to come. Whatever the opportunity, I cherish these moments. I realize with each day, the moments pass, never to return. I watched with some future angst this week as parents moved their Mary Catherine's into the University of Arkansas dorms. As we drove Mary Catherine to her first day of classes on Tuesday in her new teacher Ms. Jodi's class, I watched Shannon stare wistfully at the move in scene undoubtedly thinking the same thing.

None of us can slow the clock, but we can all take part in those insta-moments. I finished the evening fishing for magnetic fish, sharing a meal and 3 1/2 year old philosophy on optimal fruit, milk and dessert ratios (guess how that one goes).

I'm determined not to look back and regret missing one of these moments to make a presentation a little better.