16

I had an upsetting encounter today with some guy in a red van who apparently has a bit of road rage.  While parked at a red light, looking down at something in the car,  I missed the light turning green.  After a few seconds, I was startled at the sound of a long stream of honking that went on for 4 entire blocks as he drove along side me, glaring and motioning with his hands.  He even swerved into the lane ahead of me as we approached another red light and sat there honking.  I was seriously afraid he would get out of his red van and come talk to me.  I CANNOT believe how something as crazy as that can wreck my night and get me this rattled.  I'm not sure if he thought I was on my cell phone (which, for the record, I wasn't) or what his problem was exactly.  And I needed to vent to red van guy, in case he's reading this, to GET A LIFE! Whew.  That feels better lol  And apparently I need to get a life for letting the crazies of the world get to me so easily.

Now...after having vented that, I have to tell you about my day and why, for the most part, it was pretty special.   I ran many errands, one of them being getting a new vehicle registered for my baby, who is turning 16 in a week!  It was going to be a surprise and I wasn't sure how I was going to pull it off.  She was at a friends house in the afternoon and my husband texted her and told her he was picking her up to come home for dinner.  I rode along with him and when we got outside the house, he texted her and told her he was there.  She texted back and said she'd be right out.  I sat in the back seat, leaving the drivers seat open for her.  My camera was ready as I saw her coming out of the house.  She walked toward the vehicle, uncertain maybe if that was us inside, as the vehicle wasn't familiar to her.  She got in and had this beautiful grin on her face and a hesitancy in her voice that was saying "is this for me?," but her spoken words were "what's going on?"  My husband looked at her, smiling, and said a very loving "Happy Birthday Bailey."  I took a picture of the grin and excitement on her lips and in her eyes and my heart was filled with so much love and admiration of the beautiful young woman I've raised.  16.  Oh my god, where has the time gone?  Where did my little strawberry blonde, wavy haired girl go? Waves of love, excitement and fear rush over me as I picture her out in her vehicle, on her own, exploring the world.  Happy Birthday my beautiful girl.  Have fun exploring and be safe.  Words cannot begin to express what you mean to me and how much you are loved.