When I think about my kids getting older, it's not so much the birthdays that determine that for me, but the steps toward their independence that do, such as when Allie watched the siblings for the first time, or when each one takes that first trip off the island with the car-Yikes! These kind of mile stones aren't huge for them, but they certainly are for me. Letting them do it is the challenge I face and the hurdle I have to get over every time.
Stevie had such a hurdle yesterday when we were faced with the problem of getting him to soccer practice while I still had a class to teach. Thanks to an older friend of his at school, we figured out that he could ride the transit with him, hang out in Coupeville until his practice started, and then meet me at Karli's practice field later. Great! But let him ride the transit? This was a BIG deal ( bigger for mom, who has heard lots of "really weird guy on the bus" stories). But all went well, and according to Stevie, there was only one weird guy who got off at the court house, probably to check in with his probation officer. So all went well, I am happy to say, and later I even left him home by himself with a pizza in the oven! and he didn't burn down the house!
O.k., so I know that this is probably seen as no big deal, and after all , the kid is 14- but it's big to me because it reminds me that time goes on, kids grow up, and I continue to get older. I suddenly feel the need to plunk my teeth into a glass of water and shuffle off to bed...
