Really, REALLY.

Our boy is back.
Tired, but otherwise intact.
Glad to be home.
Decompressing - quietly, as is his wont.

Overall - a good trip.
Souvenirs - in typical Sean fashion -
two crowns from Burger King and
a bag from Stanford Bookstore. A plastic bag. The kind you get when you buy something, only he didn't bother to buy anything (too expensive, in his estimation).
Stories so far - a few. It might take a few weeks or months before they make their way out.

And while I'm oh-so-tempted to sit and pepper him with ten thousand questions,
I'm restraining myself.
We'll hear about it in Sean's own laid-back time and way.
His re-entrance back into our lives has, so far, been VINTAGE SEAN.
Glad to be home. Glad to be among his stuff.
Did you have a good time?
Yep.

Alrighty-then. It must've been good.
Oh, I love this kid!
It's good to have him back.
Really, REALLY.

Really, really?

Did I really send my 13 year-old off to California this week?
Without me...or Jim...or any other immediate family members?
I did.
Really, really.

Did he really fly on an airplane,
with his school group,
share a Bible verse with all of them,
go to Alcatraz,
the Exploratorium,
Pier 39,
Stanford U.,
the GGB,
and Monterey Bay Aquarium?

Did he
manage his money,
buy his own meals,
keep track of his wallet,
manage not to lose any clothes (or other necessities),
buy souvenirs,
take good notes,
shoot some pictures,
learn a lot,
make good memories,
and store up
great stories to tell?

We'll find out at 1:30 AM tomorrow.
We'll see if (and how) he did it.
I CAN'T WAIT.
Really, really.

I Can Get Used to This

Guess where I was at 8:10 AM today?

At home.

Uh-huh.

Normally I would be in the car with my two eldest kiddos, en route to school.
But I wasn't yesterday...or today...nor will I be most days between September and June in the forseeable future.

This is the really good part about your kid getting their license.
The car left, headed for school, and I wasn't in it!

Weird...but oh, so cool.
I think it took me all of 13.5 seconds to get used to the idea.

I've always liked bringing the kids to school and picking them up afterwards, and I thought I'd be feeling pretty melancholy about missing out on that.
But, surprisingly, like I said...13.5 seconds, give or take a second.
I'm just seeing this as sibling bonding time now. :)

When my 3 kids were age 4 years and under, this day wasn't even on my radar.
I thought I'd be taking them everywhere, forever.

Yeah, I can get used to this.

Not In the Driver's Seat Anymore

Our firstborn is not only 16 -
as of 1:12 PM Pacific Daylight Time today,
she's licensed to drive.

Yep, she did it. First try.
I wish I could've bottled the glow she had when she came through the door. Her 100-watt smile lit up the DOL.

So Jim and I aren't the only ones in the driver's seat anymore.
And, yes, I mean that in the many-layered way it can be interpreted.
Our girl is growing up.
One more step of independence.

While waiting for the examiner to come to the car, I looked at Cami's learner's permit and read the fine print that said "Age 18 on 12-15-2009". Yeah, yeah, whatev...WHAT??? Hah, hah (nervous laugh). That can't be right...that would be NEXT YEAR. Uh, yeah. Next year - next December - Cami will be 18 and halfway through her senior year of high school.

Not the only ones in the driver's seat.
It's reality.
I don't know how it happened - she was JUST in second grade!

And now...
she's talking about junior AND senior year classes,
talking about college,
delivering job applications and resumes,
splitting time between schoolwork, friends, home and Jacob.
She's beginning to carry the weight of her own choices and decisions,
studying God's Word for herself,
and figuring out what's important in this world.

Cami's driving.
Jim and I are splitting navigation duties with God.
And we're cherishing the moments -
From the passenger seat.

Things That Make Me Happy, Valentine's Edition

A Happy V-Day card that looks like a word search (perfect for a word-lover like me).
Candles (good-smelling).
Watermelon Jelly Bellies (green on the outside, pink in the middle; my favorites).
A heart-shaped tin of chocolates (yum).
A Barnes and Noble gift card (I could LIVE in that store).
A splendid basket, lined with a fluffy soft, vibrantly red hand towel, and containing all of the above.
The time and care my husband took to create such a personal, thoughtful, perfect gift for me.
The smile on my husband's face when he saw how much I loved this gift.
God's good plan of one man for one woman forever,
Or as one human said...

"The game of love is never called on account of darkness or rain."

I am one blessed lady.