Letting Her Fly (A Little)

My daughter is starting to exert her independence.
See the photo above? That's her with some friends at a ballgame a few weeks ago. Several rows down and over from where her Daddy and I sat with her brother. Far enough away that she could be silly with her friends and copy the cheerleaders and yell and jump and giggle. Close enough to get to us quickly if needed.
And a little part of this mama heart twinged. Because she's eight. And in a few years, she'll be sitting at the other end of the gym in the student section and only come when she wants to beg a few dollars for nachos. And her brother won't be far behind.

On the other hand, though, I'm thrilled. Because as parents, we want our children to grow up and be independent. To be able to go off and fly on their own. To make good friends they want to hang out with at the school ballgames. And to be okay without us, even if only for a few hours.
She's not all the way there yet, obviously, and I'm more than okay with that. But seeing her over there was a peek at my future. Watching her move farther away, into a life more her own than ours. Bittersweet.
Don't worry. I'm okay. I'm good, actually. Because this is how it should be. And I'm so glad she has such good school friends.
Just noticing. And treasuring these moments in my mama heart.
How did you deal with your little birds learning to fly? Or are you still in the same spot I am?