"sweet 16............"

Today my baby girl turns 16!
I have very mixed emotions about that!
She is more independent..I am older. She is older. She doesnt need me as much anymore and wants to do more for herself. All part of growing up but I really didn't think that time would get here so quickly....

I always have the table decorated on the morning of my kids birthdays so they already feel special when they get up in the morning.

Usually I always cook them birthday breakfast but we had bigger things to take care of this morning!!

Scheduled her driving test for her license at 9:00 am.

On our way.............

She was really nervous and kept asking me "do you think I'm going to pass mom?" Of coarse I kept reassuring her she would do GREAT! and just to use common sense.

So the DMV was packed when we got there. That is a very scary place........

We filled out all the paperwork and it was time to drive......................

I sat in the DMV lobby with a sick feeling (not that she wouldn't pass, but that my little girl was about to have a new independence in life that didn't include me).......Her and the instructor walk back in the door with huge smiles. He announced in front of everyone that she passed with 100%.......and said she was an excellent driver and thanked ME for her being so prepared and being such a good driver (she is such an overacheiver!).....ahhhhh......warms my heart......she passed her written and now just needed her pic taken.

After she needed money to pay for it.......hahhaahahaa......(I guess they always will need us for something!!). She was so excited and grinning from ear to ear.

So we went back home so she could round up her softball gear for practice.......and needed $5 to buy a parking permit for school.......and a note to exuse her for being late......

And then it hit me..........................she will be getting in her car......................by herself..........driving to school........................alone.............................

She couldn't get out of here soon enough!!

And off she goes.................

So weird for her to drive away. I got a little emotional...................
I needed a minute..........so bittersweet..............and I asked her to text me when she got to school safely...........and she did...........

I texted LeRoy and told him I was a little sad and he said he was too.......Our little girl is growing up............faster then we would like...........

Tonight we are celebrating and going out to dinner and I'm making her a cake.

So far life has been pretty good in the presence of a teenage girl...........