Day 16: Cardinals and other Rare Treats

One of my favorite things about raising teenage daughters is when the three of us are together, hanging out, talking--all the time in the world. We discuss the most ridiculous of things. I can't really say what we even talk about--not because it's private but rather because it's so mundane and nonsensical. And yet it's wonderful. Beautiful. And it spells family to me--unity and love and togetherness.

We have spent so much time together--the three of us. Friday nights were often spent huddled together on our big rocking chair: laughing, making fun of each other, philosophizing, crying...girl stuff. But of course--Savana is off to college now and when she's home she's often occupied with Boyfriend. And that's fine--she's so happy and content that I certainly don't begrudge her that. But nonetheless, I miss those moments. They are becoming more and more rare as the years go by.

And yet ... today it happened. It was one of those long afternoons. Guerin was occupied with football practice and so Savana was home--and up to her typical tricks of begging all of us to join us in her bedroom...the living room....or wherever she meandered to. But I had a ridiculous amount of ironing to do (evidently that's becoming an 'art' of days gone by as both the girls think that is the oddest thing in the world), so we all came upstairs and the girls hung out while I ironed. And--true to form--there was much laughter. Much talking. Just like old times...just like it should be happening every day and has been happening every day...

But it isn't. And it won't.

But that's okay. Because for today? It was perfect.

Another lovely fact about today? Time change. Who doesn't love when the clock rolls back an hour. Oh my goodness. It turns a lazy Sunday into an even lazier Sunday--one more hour to relish. Fabulous.

And then Nancy and Louie Parra invited us to Asheville Pizza Brewery to watch Hope Springs with Meryl Streep and Tommy Lee Jones. Darian agreed to hang with Jace so off we went and ... what a treat! That movie was simply spectacular. We laughed so hard and ate (even though we shouldn't have but gosh it was good), and chatted with the Parra's and just had a fabulous time. We haven't gone out--the two of us--on a 'date' in a forever but that movie was inspiring. It's basically about a couple who has been married for over 30 years and the wife wants to renew their marriage. So...it made me think that, in fact, I really like this guy I'm married to but I want to be a bit more spontaneous, a bit more unexpected. And I'm glad that this movie reminded me of that.

So overall? Today was a genuinely good day. Darian took the SAT and felt so good about it and Savana made a new friend (Meredith) that travels to Asheville to visit her boyfriend often so now she has a carpool buddy and Jace rode his minibike for the first time in a forever and I saw a cardinal--so red and carefree and stunning--and little Sparty played with a hairband--tossing and jumping and contorting--and Roy's hand--his giant hand--held mine all the way home from the movie.