I can tell you that up until the day i left for college my mom was a wreck, often times sitting in my dorm i wondered if she was upset.... until i came home for the first time. I walked in the door and it was if i never lived there lol, i guess i was expecting some grand parade or something but my point is that i know you love your daughter but you will discover new things once she is off to college. I think parents dread the day their kids leave but then when they do they realize it isnt so bad and they can do more things in their life. Also about your birthday, happy birthday btw, same mom in this story but i honestly believe after she turned 50 she has been more happy than ive ever seen her before. I dont know why, and i dont know how, but realize that once you hit that, you made it through the toughest years of your life, you raised what sounds like a fabulous daughter who is going to be successful, and now you can just relax