But here's proof that my shy latebloomer is turning a corner.
He arrived back from his 8th grade trip tonight to St. Augustine, FL, and the parking lot was filled with tired chaperones, smiling parents, and laughing teens. School's over for this year, and ahead lay high school.
As for me, I now have no young children anymore. Everyone's in high school, college, or the school of hard knocks. It feels different, as a mom.
Tonight at dinner before Clark arrived home, the older three got talking about their childhoods...memories together: how Chel convinced the two younger boys to dress up like Britney Spears and sing Oops! I Did It Again! for the video camera; how Grayson would play Barbies with Chelsea only because she had the dress-ups in her room (he lived for three years of his childhood wearing a homemade Peter Pan costume, complete with green tights...I should have known he'd have a hard time growing up!); how Grayson convinced the younger boys to wear ski jackets and stand like scarecrows in the yard so he could shoot at them with the BB gun/paintball gun/toy arrows. After all their shenanigans, despite years of disputes, they emerge as almost-adults --gasp!-- loving each other. Now they give each other rides, they cover for each other at work, they commiserate with each other over their parents' idiosyncracies. While it would be hard to find four more different children, and while they'd probably not choose each other for friends...they sure do make good family for each other.
5 comments:
It's a neat time, isn't it? My kids have been pals for a while now, but it still thrills me to sit and watch them!
Wow! It seems like only yesterday that your were homeschooling and going on fabulous field trips. What an endearing story about your children reminiscing. I can only hope that mine have the same warm feelings for each other when they grow older.
Loved the photo and the post! I had some of the same feelings this past weekend, as I watched our four...ranging from 12 to 21...laugh and talk and enjoy each other immensely. What a blessing.
Susan
I'm looking forward to that, even as I begin to experience that with my older daughters...you give me a glimpse of the future here!
Fantastic spy photo - and memories! sounds like a good foundation for good future support of each other - today, my 21 year old went over to her 28 year old big sister's to get her newly (red) dyed hair styled funky. I'm glad to see that stuff too.
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