Families R Built with Love

Rob is out tonight at his girl friends sweet 16 party.  Watching him grow and mature, riding the crazy teen train--it is new for me.  Chet never had a girl friend.  Never had dates, or parties, and I spent a lot of time mourning that.  Part of me will always grieve for Chet in that regard.  I think that there is a part of him that wants something he can't figure out how to have.

But that doesn't stop me from also reveling in watching Rob grow up and try these things.  In his laconic, quiet way, he likes to share snippets of his life with me.  He is pretty fashion forward for a teen, which amazes me.  Partly because Chet was all about black and grunge for forever.  Partly because when I was a teen I was not fashion forward.  It was jeans and ripped sneakers and some kind of weird top.  But Rob has an innate style sense.  Tonight he chose to wear a suit, with a buffalo plaid shirt under it, and a  skinny black tie, silver grey sneakers and a fedora.  When I write it, it sounds weird. What is weirder, is that it was a very cool look!  LOL  I had to drive him to the party as K was still at work.  It was cool that the sharp dressed teen who got out of my car, took time to go around to the back and hug his little sister and brother good night, because they will have been in bed for hours when he gets home.

Rob and I do a lot of things together--he is a huge help around the house and we both enjoy our Friday night movie nights.  I watch him spreading his wings--he is trying to be accepted in a very neat student conservation program which could have him away from home and living in a national park for a month this summer.  I remember the scared little boy who became my son at 5 and I marvel at the young man he is becoming.  And at how fast they grow.  It is truly the blink of an eye.