One dress, two different teenagers, 23 years apart.

One dress, two different teenagers, 23 years apart.

1989

2012

I can't even find the words to describe the feelings that I feel over seeing this.  Proud that she looks so beautiful.  Awe that she wanted to wear my dress.  Shame that I can't wear it any more.  Inspired to try and fit in it again.  Worried that she looks so grown up at 14.  Old because she looks so grown up at 14.

Thank you God for the blessing of my beautiful, wonderful daughter.  

Driving Fun

Running errands today to get the final pieces Emily needed for formal next Friday night: strapless bra, hoses, shoes and jewelry.  While making all these errands Emily got to do the driving.  She got to drive from Dark Hollow up North Hills Blvd to Fairway to Lakewood Village.  She does really good but she need practice on the parking.  Turning into driveways and parking spaces seams to be a bit of a challenge but she is learning.  After finding her shoes at Shoe Carnival, she drove to McCain Mall.  She did so very good.  She is nervous and tense but hey she's driving my suburban.  It's huge and has V8 under the hood.  That's a lot of power underneath her foot.  We're not allowing her to drive on the interstate yet, so I drove us from the mall out to Crystal Hill but she took back over at the Citgo and drove down to the Big Dam Bridge to pick up Marty who we had dropped off at the Little Rock submarine to do his long run.  Then she drove back to the Citgo and Dad took over and drove us back to Cabot.  Emily took back over at the Exxon station and drove home.  She hasn't tried to drive out of our driveway yet but that will be soon.  She is babysitting tonight and I did let her drive over to Mrs. Tina's house.  It was just before dark and the latest time of day that she has driven.

I'm really surprised at the patience I have with her while teaching her to drive.  I talk her through it and I don't think I raise my voice too much.  Only on the turns into driveways or into parking places to keep her from putting the sub into a ditch or hitting that car.  But more parking lot work is in the future.  Marty and I are so very proud of how she is doing.