One more thing

Several, several years ago Ryan and I went to a "parenting teens" conference. I think Emily was about 11. (Always trying to be one step ahead.) Anyway, at that conference - it was one of the Tripp brothers - I always get them confused. He said something that has stuck with me all of this time that I THOUGHT would be easy to do. He said "start laying the groundwork for adulthood/independent living WAY before they needed it. You want to be able to see them happily out the door feeling confident and sure of themselves (as well as you yourself as a parent). You do not want to be chasing them as they walk out the door screaming 'one more thing..'" At the time I made a mental note, I agreed with his philosophy and have tried very hard to keep it in mind as we have grown into the teenage years. However, I have decided I have done a very poor job of it and have come the the conclusion that it is my personality. We had a test run this summer in that Emily was in and out for most of the summer but then was leaving mid July and going to be gone until the first week of August - three weeks. She was going to World View Academy in Lynchburg, VA from Sunday - Friday and then on a missions trip to Del Rio, Texas from Friday - Saturday and then the beach from Sunday to Sunday. Truthfully, I have been a little "self" absorbed lately in home projects. I did a major redo in the boys room. That left her to pretty much get herself ready. She made her list(s) of what she needed where and when and for what. I took her shopping on Friday to get all of her "stuff". She has gone to Del Rio for several summers now. Every year, I have gotten their "school" pictures done (for the year they just finished - not the one coming) before she goes. You see, I have these awesome "grade" picture frames for each one of them and I prefer a polished picture rather than a snapshot. Anyway, Friday night, I send myself into pure panic mode that I have not done this yet. I almost (for a fraction of a second) thought about trying to fit it in for Saturday. I know I can do it when she gets back but I will already be knee deep in preparing for this school year. Last year will have been finished, packed up, recorded for historical purposes only. AND she will be having senior portraits made soon which will be in the fall - only a few weeks different from her 11th grade picture. As I was having my "internal hissy fit" the words of the Tripp brother came back to me. I would rather her leave knowing I was content to let her go, knowing we were proud of her and the choices she has/will make for her life, knowing that we would be here waiting for her when she got back. Not having her think of me worried about my "unfinished" schedule, not having me shout after her with "one more thing". I have decided that should any of my children grow up to homeschool, I am going to make it my "grandmotherly" duty to take them to have their school pictures made during the fall of the school year they currently in. Then, I will have lovely pictures to go in my awesome "grade" picture frames!