Still Mummy's Little Girl

My 9 year old went on a 4 day school trip to Cameron Highlands this last week.
She was worried initially about lots of things...not being able to sleep without cuddles from mummy...missing home ( her baby brother most of all, I think)...sharing a room with 2 girls she didn't really know that well...and whatever else 9 year olds worry about.
That didn't stop her from being organised ( yes, she is obsessive about organisation, like me). Her bag was packed 2 weeks before the trip. She had a still-to-pack list for her day bag which she dutifully ticked off the day before the trip. She asked for a photograph of the family which she could look at whenever she felt homesick, and she even laid out her clothes the night before.
The only sign of her anxiety was that she crawled into my bed for cuddles every night for the week before they went.
How did it all go? She had a wonderful time! Their days were packed with activity, she had no trouble getting on with her room-mates, and even though she did feel homesick by the last night, she was a trouper and just held on to her photograph to keep her going.
So yes, she dealt with all her fears and showed a maturity beyond her years. But you know what? When we picked her up, there was just a hint of redness to her eyes when she got off the bus and ran to us, and the hug I received was the longest and tightest I've had from her in a long time...