Tuesday In Texas - Growing Pains

by Kris B.

It is hard to believe that we are already at the end of April.  Christmas was just a few weeks ago, wasn’t it?  I’m not complaining as the end of April means that I am nearing the end of my semester - two and a half more weeks, but who’s counting?  This has been a long school year for me, not so much because of my school responsibilities, but with all that has gone on in my life otherwise.  Still, even though I have often felt like I am slugging through mud, time really is flying.

When I think about my girls being 22 and 25, the image of time flying becomes even more vivid. 

  It seems like not too long ago that they were toddlers and starting their first day of school, and playing their first soccer games, and going to their first slumber parties, and doing their first science fair projects, and going to their first dance, and applying for college…and the list could go on.  Now, as they both like to tell me, “We are grown-ass women and we can do what we want to.”  Well, sort of.  True, they don’t have me standing over them day in and day out nagging about homework and rooms that need to be cleaned, but they hardly get to do what they want to do all the time.  They have “grown-ass woman” jobs.  My girls are at the age now where the decisions that they make have greater consequences than those they once made about whether or not to study for the week’s spelling test or wear the same dirty soccer socks again.  Now the decisions are about jobs and relationships, things that, no matter what choices they make, will impact their future in some way or another.

My youngest graduated from college last May at age 21.  She immediately got a job as a spatial analyst (She was a math major.) making quite a respectable salary.  She and the boy she had dated since high school moved in together an embarked on a “grown-up” life.  It didn’t take long before they realized that being a grown-up isn’t all that it is cracked up to be sometimes.  A real 40+ hour a week job is tiring.  There is no dinner or clean laundry unless you cook it or wash it.  Someone else isn't paying your Internet and cable bill or buying your groceries.  With grown-up freedom comes grown-up responsibility…and grown-up stress.  And nowhere are you taught how to deal with that stress.  

Those of us who have navigated through the best of times and the worst of times know that more often than not it is simply trial and error that gets us through.  That is where my youngest found herself this past week.

Feeling like something was “not quite right” she started applying for jobs.  Despite what many say is a tough job market, she had several interviews and was offered a job with a salary increase and a few other tempting perks.  Because I know that mothers are often the ones whose advice is least listened to, I only offered one small piece of wisdom to her as she was weighing her options.  I said, “Money is not everything.  Sometimes working with and for people whom you like and who like you is worth more than a salary increase.”  And I left it at that.  She accepted the job and submitted her resignation.  Her boss cried.  That was the trial part.  The error?  She did not feel any better about her circumstances.  Fortunately, because she works for and with people who like her, she talked with a co-worker who went with her to ask her boss if she could “take back” her resignation.  Lucky for her, he said “yes.”  Thank goodness for understanding people!

When she called to tell me this story, my daughter did say to me that she thought maybe I knew her better than she knew herself.  Score! Mom 1; Offspring #2 0.  Well that’s not really true.  Since being offered a new job did not make her feel any better, she has decided that maybe it is her relationship status that needs a change.  She is taking time away from the boy and moving in with her co-worker and will begin working on her Master’s degree in the fall as well.  I am proud of her for all of the grown-up decisions she has made recently.

It is true that I know my daughter perhaps better than she knows herself, but she also knows me pretty well.  This kid is the master of gift giving, always finding something personal and perfect  She spends a lot of time and puts much thought and creativity into the gifts she gives everyone.  

This is one of my favorite Mother's Day gifts.  We all have those little kindergarten hand prints, but how many of us have those same handprints at 17?  Oh, can you tell she is a number nerd?

We decided to capitalize on that gift choosing ability of hers here and you, our faithful followers, will reap the benefits.  Since, like me, most of you like food and photography and are creative people, I challenged Erin to create a gift basket that all of you would like.  I gave her no guidelines except to stay within our stated themes here at Pixels, Plates, and LOLs!  So, I can’t tell you what may in the basket because i honestly don't know; all I can say is that she never disappoints!

If you would like a chance to receive our gift basket, leave a comment on this post.  And here’s the good news…you can enter more than once!  Leave a comment on any and all posts here between now and Mother’s Day and up your chances to win.  We will choose a winner on Mother’s Day and put the basket in the mail to the winner as soon as we confirm mailing information.

I hope you’ll play along with us and take a chance or two on a little fun and a few surprises.