Five Minute Friday: Send

Earlier in the week, Frances brought home a paper from school. She wants to sign up for the band next year and she needed permission to do so. The form had a place for her to pick out a first choice instrument and a second choice. The whole thing made me nervous. She's just in middle school and they track everything so early. I asked her if she understood what she'd being giving up in order to be in the band. She did (art, choir and drama). She sounded so sure of herself. 

She's at that age when she's making decisions that aren't the decisions I would have made for her. Don't get me wrong! They aren't bad decisions!! They are great decisions. Just not the things I would have chosen.

It makes me realize more and more that she is not me.

She is growing up into her own person!

She is becoming a young lady with thoughts, and dreams, and ideas I never expected.

Next thing you know we'll have to send her off to college!!

I'm not ready for that!

So I guess it's a good thing that also this week, I had the chance to pick her up from school after violin rehearsal. She'd had a recent disappointment and I wanted to spend some one-on-one time with her. I told her she could pick whatever she wanted. She chose to go get ice cream and watch a Harry Potter movie with me on the couch.

We snuggled under the same blanket and ate the same kind of Blizzard.

I realized that even though she's not me, she's still mine.

And even when we do send her out into the big world, I have confidence that she'll always know where home is.

1. Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking.
2. Link back here and invite others to join in.
3. And then absolutely, no ifs, ands or buts about it, you need to visit the person who linked up before you; encourage them in their comments. Seriously. That is, like, the rule. And the fun. And the heart of this community...