Rites of Passage

June seems to be the month for it. Birthdays for 16 year olds, and high school graduations. Announcements are rolling in from friends with other graduates. Happens because they are kids that grew up with your own. Young people that slept in your house rolled up in sleeping bags, sharing in celebrations of birthdays, recitals, school plays, picnics and camping trips and yes sometimes the not so good times too.

Today we are in the throes of a 16th birthday. Last night was a family dinner with the requested homemade mac and cheese, broccoli, and Italian sausage. Topped off with a chocolate cheesecake. The big gift is always given at this function and this was no exception. At 16 our girls get their first piece of real jewelry. A ring and this time it was a sapphire ring set in white gold. Not terribly expensive but exciting to get and a treasure that they keep along with the memories.

Today our youngest is "allowed" to get her navel pierced. I picked her and a friend up after school to take her to a tattoo parlor where the oldest had hers done. Only after much thought and research did we settle on this place to have this done and only by  Fat Tony. He seems like a nice guy and has kids of his own. He is also very careful and makes sure the girls know how to take care of the piercing after it is done so as not to get an infection. The parlor itself also seems to be not quite so, how should I put this, scary. I don't advocate piercings or tattoos but I do want my kids to learn how to make their own decisions and consequently suffer the repercussions of decisions made as long as they are not life threatening. This one is not as bad as some others they could be making. So off we go and she, like the oldest, will get the old speech about risky behaviors and consequences. Something the oldest one still remembers and flings at me occasionally. "Youth is  a wonderful thing. To bad it's wasted on the young".

Later this week we will be going into town to see the new Pirates of the Caribbean in 3D IMAX and dinner at her favorite restaurant. When we are done with this rite I will begin working on the next one. GRADUATION! The gift for that has been ordered. Now I just have to figure out what to do for the party.