I stood at the wooden porch railing.

The morning sun fell across the little patch of green grass in the front yard.

“Have a great day at school,” I called out.

“I’ll text you after the fitness test,” she said.

On a clear April morning, I stood at the porch railing and watched her walk down the driveway in her blue fleece hoodie, turning around to smile at me.

She carried her own backpack today, light and free of any weight.