Dad stories - wheels up

Starting in the middle of a story can lend perspective. At least this is my hope, as emotion is coursing through me as thoughts go to page. As this is being written, I am monitoring flightaware.com, watching an online depiction of the Southwest Airlines 737 (tail # N705SW) that is taking my precious 9-year-old son from Reno to Las Vegas. Flight information indicates that he is now 160 miles from me and about 30 minutes from touching down at McCarran International. His ultimate destination today is San Antonio, TX, where his mom lives, off for his annual month-long visit. Preston lives with me, his old dad, the majority of the time, and I am fortunate beyond words that this is the reality of the situation.