Seriously, where did the time go?

Ali turned 16 on Thursday. Bekah turned 24 in February, and Carol turns 26 in May! Yeah, and so I turn 47 in 12 days! And seriously, it all went by in, um, yeah, so, say … like a minute!!!!!

We had Ali’s 16th party with her friends, an “Alice and Wonderland Tea Party,” a local Italian place today. We had well over a baker’s dozen of kids there and it was fun to watch them all interact, because once the party got started, I sat at the “grownups table” across the room. And really, that’s where it kind of hits you that the tides are turning. Your youngest turns 16 and the “grownups table” has three chairs, and the “kids table” is huge!

That was three giant pizzas, and Dew and Pepsi for the “tea.” And some of the most creative and memorable presents, and two bouquets of flowers because two of the mom’s essentially said, “It’s her 16th birthday, she should be getting flowers!” It was just all to perfect and thematic and Alice-in-Creative-Wonderlandy.

Then she (Alice) is off and running and overnight at a friends. I take the gifts and the empty cake box home, and then had to run to the grocery story, because I’m having a party tomorrow afternoon here at the house (grownup gals!).

While I was at the grocery store, I ran into someone from high school, and she’s doing a double-take and says, “Do you live in the area now?” And I’m all, “Um, yeah, and so it’s been forever now that I’ve been back.” I mean, I lost track how long it’s been that I’ve been back in ....Wisconsin...., in this county, since it is the very first place I wanted to get out of when I turned 18. I’ve lost track!

We chit-chatted about what each of us are up to, and her kids are actually at the high school now, which I mentioned I thought I saw her from a distance at conferences last year. Her kids are one younger and one older than Ali, when she tells me their ages. And then she asks me, “How old is your oldest?” and I hear myself say, “She’s going to be 26 in May.”

Then I looked around to see who said that.

Twenty-six! What the heck?

And then I fill her in on the rest, “… and my granddaughters are 7, 6 and 4.”

And then I looked around and was thinking again, who just said that?!!?!

It was just too damn funny, and humbling and amazing and, well, humbling and AMAZING!

All I’m saying folks is, whatever you do, in whatever it is that you are doing in your life, and with whoever you are doing it with, DO NOT BLINK.

Did you hear me … DO NOT BLINK. Rinse and repeat!

Peace out!

p.s. This was my favorite quote from Alice's actual birthday on Thursday. We did a little shopping prior to going out to dinner. One of our stops was a craft store because we both wanted some funky new yarn. Then Ali goes, "Mom will you buy me some hemp?" And I'm all like, "Yeah, Ali, it's your 16th birthday and Mommy is going to buy you pot!! Think again."


Oh, they grow up so fast and then the next thing you know they are trying to pull illegal substances over your eyes.

We bought wool instead ... and the hemp, because one of her friends showed her how to "tie shell necklaces" during study hall, and admittedly I was sad that I wasn't "the one who ultimately showed you how to macrame," and at first Ali was all like "what the heck is macrame."

And then the old lady just shut right up and drove.