Summer is Over

Well, the kids go back to school tomorrow. Again. I don't even know what happened this summer. I really didn't do anything fun. I'm a little triggered about it. We have a vacation planned for NEXT summer so hopefully that will make up for it.
                                            
Life has changed a little in our house. My youngest quit gymnastics. I could kind of see it coming but I was still a little surprised. Her body is starting to fall apart and she is just done. I told her that is fine for her to quit but she can't quit gymnastics and do NOTHING. I told her she needed to pick another activity -her pick. She sent me a list that included:
-fashion
-dancing
-writing
-baking
-photography
-tattoos
-weapon making
-model building
-hunting/fishing
-calligraphy
-mechanics
-lock-picking
-darts
-billiards
-auto racing
-bowling
-boxing
-embroidery
-crystals/tarot cards
-furniture making
-antique book collecting

I looked it over. "Weapon making?" I asked. She was defensive, "Yeah, like making swords over a fire." "Like a blacksmith?" She was like, "Yeah." I mean some of the things on her list had me dying. I support it- if I could find a blacksmith class, or a lock-picking seminar, or an antique book collecting group for teenagers, I would totally drive her there and support it. I said, "Let's narrow this down."

Her sister, who is the flute section leader for marching band said, "Why don't you just join marching band? I have a hole." She said, "But I don't play the flute." "You can be a fake flute." She said, "Okay." So, she joined the marching band. It is the funniest thing ever. We went to an event where they played and she is so good at pretending to play. Please give this child an Oscar. It's kind of nice having them in one place, the schedule is better for me. She likes all the kids there so I think it will be good for her. A distraction.

She wants to join the Youth Bowling League after marching band season. So, we'll do that. I think I'm going to send her to the Governor's School of Math and Science for a week next summer and she is interested in ROTC for high school.

I'm sad that I won't see her compete anymore but I'm glad that she gets to explore other things. She is in a good place. When we went back to school shopping she didn't want to step foot in Hot Topic. Her middle school emo stage is over, I think, and I'm super happy about it. She will have a good year.

My oldest is doing well. We picked her up from Governor's School in July and she was changed somehow. She is really on that grind. She got laid off from her job and she went straight to another store and got a new job right away. She worked an 8 hour shift yesterday and was running the front of the house by herself. She was so proud of herself. She likes it there and they are scheduling her 10 hours a week vs 3 at the other store and that is perfect. She enjoys making her own money and loves the free chicken nuggets. I am very impressed with her.

She originally made plans to go out after work last night but decided against it and just hung out with her one good friend. She is getting very good at surrounding herself with positive people and just doing what she needs to do and I pray that it stays that way. She is a typical teenage girl and she makes me CRAZY sometimes but she is a good kid.

She got her permit the other day. She was so excited. She went the week after her birthday and failed the test TWICE by 1 question. She asked me to take her again Friday. I had a rough week and I was praying that she passed because I could not deal with her having a nervous breakdown. We waited for what seemed like years. She took the test on paper and handed it in to the lady. The wait was excruciating. "You passed," she announced to her. My daughter jumped up and gave me the biggest hug, she was beaming. I could tell she was relieved.

I've been making her drive the past few days. Not far but to her friends house. We let her drive to work and home yesterday, this morning she drove to the gas station and I taught her how to pump gas. It's so weird being in the passenger's seat and having my child drive. She does a good job so far, I haven't feared for my life yet. I'm sure I will, but so far so good.

She is so funny, because while she drives, I talk and teach her. She said, "Driving is kind of like playing the flute and sight reading.- because you always have to look ahead and be prepared and be aware of what is going on." She is so cute, I freaking love her.

Tomorrow my kids start 8th and 10th grade and life is good.