Today as I stood over a stove making enchiladas with my best friend Nancy, something happened.
In the middle of our girl-day, while laughing and talking and making dozens of enchiladas, her daughter and boyfriend walked into the house.
Beth was 14 when I met her. She used to come to my house and play my piano and ride my 4-wheeler all over the farm, hell-bent on scaring me to death with her daring feats and terribly fast speeds. I realized today that all along, despite evidence to the contrary, somewhere in the back of my mind, she was still 14.
Only she isn't.
She is all grown up now, with an apartment, a job, college classes, a boyfriend and a life.
A real life, all her own.
She came in to the kitchen and we talked about Tofu. She asked what we were doing as she stared in awe at the greasy mess that making enchiladas always brings to the kitchen stove, counters and floor.
Then she told her mom "Mama we are on the way to Kansas City".
Just like that.
And in my brain I thought,
"Wait.... Beth you can't drive yet".
Wait....Beth it is RAINING outside, what if your car hydroplaned?"
Wait..... Beth you can't go to KANSAS CITY with a boy!"
"Wait .... Beth you don't REALLY drive yet, do you?"
"Wait.... Beth you didn't even ASK your mom if you could go on a road trip" - with a BOY, in a CAR, in the RAIN."
But I didn't say any of that. I just insisted on a hug and wished them a good time.
As the door slammed behind them, I reached for another tortilla and began packing and folding the ingredients into the enchilada as I turned to Nancy and proclaimed that
We. Are. Getting . Old.
Where has the time gone? And if Beth is grown up now, where does that leave US?
As I type this tonight I also remember my own children. My baby girl isn't a baby anymore. She is almost 29 years old. My son 24.
They all grew up when we weren't looking.
Kansas City. That is just too far to nonchalantly announce a road trip, even if you ARE all grown up.
Be careful Beth, Stranger Danger and all that stuff, and remember the car is not a 4-wheeler on a field on my farm, so please slow down.
