Joys of teens

Our S is 14 yrs old, going on 21.

What an age!

She begins High School in a few weeks.  It's a not the school she's zoned for because she is attending a special academy for Legal Studies.  She wants to be a juvenile lawyer when she grows up. She wants to be a defender of the defenseless.  What a girl!

This summer has been a testing of the boundaries, there's a boy in her life and she's made some unwise choices so she's been restricted from several fun activities.  

I tell you what as the parent of a teenager and a 4 yr old I am not sure who's whining is worse. She whines and argues, she doesn't clean her room, and thinks she's right all the time.  She will argue the point to death, and then come back for more.  She breaks the rules and talks back.

But the thing about my S is that she's still such an amazing kid.  She is smart, and funny and loving and has a huge heart.  She still loves to go shopping with mom, and not just cause I will buy her something.  She will still hold my hand in public, she loves her little brother and loves to go to church.  She has one of the most forgiving hearts I have ever seen.  She's not afraid to been seen with her parents in public, which totally makes me sad for my mom because at her age I so wanted to act as though I were brought by the stork, never actually had 'real' parents.  She's also beautiful, inside and out.  This morning at church she raised her hand at prayer time to offer a prayer for D and I and our travels.  Then she and I went out to brunch and school clothes shopping.  She and daddy were to go parasailing today, but it's rainy and windy.

I really have great kids.  I will miss her a TON while we are in ET.  

Teens... the joys and the pain... the times when they are flexing their adult muscles and learning who they are... with hormones thrown in the bunch.  I sure wouldn't want to go back to that age!  

I love you S!!