Showing posts with label adolescents. Show all posts
Showing posts with label adolescents. Show all posts

Monday, April 9, 2012

Postcard from Oregon. Growing Old(er).

And yes. That is the author's red wine.
Mom and Dad at the Firehouse Restaurant. 61 years of marriage and counting.  Given the chronic fatigue and exhaustion of the mid-forties that Peter and I experience, it's hard to imagine dumping another 45 years on top of this.  Wow.  Walk in my shoes, I suppose.  Not always done with grace, but always loving their daughter, I thankfully admit. Today, watching my almost thirteen year old sidle into the car while her friends walked away on the date that I had denied her (it is a Monday afternoon, after all), I couldn't help but remember what seventh grade was like for me.  Who knows what is right? All I know for sure, is that all of that confidence that we brought to the parenting of babies and toddlers seems so completely irrelevant today.  I know it all mattered--at least it mattered because now it is the memory and record of who we are and what we did.  I guess I'm just feeling, as I often do, completely humbled by the experience (of life) and outclassed in many ways (by my peers).  So, Mom and Dad, congratulations on making it this far and being able to celebrate the new season's arrival with your family. We're all in your corner, watching you take on this bravest of challenges.

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Take that, Mama!

This is what i got in response for asking the one to get a shovel out on friday afternoon.

Can I go ahead of you, ma? I'm too fast!
Glorious winter continues! Finally! A storm  that keeps us under the covers for sufficient days on end! This is what we truly need in order to get ready for everything that comes next.  So how do we celebrate at the land of un-encumbered-ness? Well, as I've alluded, we're now living with an adolescent, so the gloves are off.  Whatever tricks Peter and I had devised up until now to get our kids to behave the way we see fit, well, those tricks are coming around in full circle.  We have a glimpse of what we're looking at for the next quite a few years, and it might be rough going.  So how do we deal with this stress and still remain unencumbered?  Laugh out loud, talk, and go skiing!!!! Yes dog!!! Look at little one on the skis! We're ready for the next phase, no problem.