Sixteen, Summer of 2012

     

I remember being 16.  I was finally considered old enough to join the Youth. Such a big deal it was in those days. Though I’m glad that age/grade segregation is not so important and functional now-a-days, being homeschoolers, I always hope that our children enjoy the little epoch entries of growing up through the teen years, as much as I did.

So I want to dedicate this post to Amy, our daughter, who is in her 17nth summer.  We have been sending Frances off to Thailand for the last few weeks.  We did all the paper work, planning, and shopping. I think Amy has been quietly looking forward to owning the whole upstairs for herself sans suitcases spread all about.  We will all miss Frank, that’s for sure.  But still , for a cleany soul like Amy, this mess has to be trying.

With  income from cleaning 8 bathrooms at Old Chicago Club every Saturday morning, Amy bought a guitar.  We had educated ourselves about guitars so that she would end up with a practical instrument that fitted her and found just what she wanted through Craigslist last week.

Here is where I, as Mom, need to follow through.  Here is my chance to make good on a dream for a daughter.  No goofing off.  Clark is coaching her initial steps of learning, but we plan to get started on official lessons this fall as part of her education program.  In the meantime we took an hour Saturday to visit the local music store in town for new strings.

It was fun to take Amy there and to watch her show her instrument to the kind person who had recommendations and encouragements.  I particularly enjoy having other adults come in to our children’s lives with expertise and advice for them that we parents can’t give.  I like being there at the onset of such a time just to be sure about the new environment, but not to hover over long.  All we could have done for Amy in the line of safety and discernment is done already anyway, whether is was adequate or not. Scary, but true. 

I am looking forward to singing and playing together this winter. 

Amy is going to finish high school this winter. She is also going to be the only girl at home for four months and will take our home keeping in hand in an orderly, timely fashion. She does this like most people breathe…without anyone noticing how it happened. If I am not careful I could easily take advantage of this and just let her do it, while I do my job and scrapbook and scribble. But I must make an effort to let her play and have friends over and go out with them. She needs to “scrapbook and scribble” too, with her water paints and sewing.