Growing Teens This Spring

A month has passed, and I have not posted anything! Did you miss me? LOL. I am alive and doing great.

Here are my gratitude list and the reasons why I am occupied.


  1. My first born just graduated from high school. Two years ago, I did not even imagine this is possible as he was skipping days and sometimes months of school. He turned around and took extra credits to graduate on time on top of working full time as a new young manager at a pizza chain.
  2. He requested to eat at Red Lobster. Where we are, I was not too impressed with their lobster and shrimp, but this night, it was awesome. The seafood including mussels was fresh, we had a blast for his graduation dinner. He even apologized that the meals were expensive. I was like, where did this teen come from? It was his graduation night.
  3. My house got hit hard by golfball-sized hail last month. It is not to be thankful for. My siding and roof are damaged, but I just got my first check from my insurance yesterday to pay my contractor for replacement.
  4. My son, yes the one who's behaving so differently got me a mother's day card with his artsy work all over it. He even thanked me for being his mother and father. I was so touched. His dad is almost non-existent, especially after our divorce. I feel so appreciated.
  5. Look at my handsome son in his senior picture!
  6. Paul has to be silly in our dinner picture, of course.
  7. My son on his graduation gown makes it more real that he really did graduate. LOL.
  8. He gave me a long-stemmed rose for the first time on Mother's day. It also marks my 18th year of being a mom. The only other time he gave me a flower was when he was six. He was so proud to give me a dandelion. I reminded this to him, and he just laughed.
  9. What's more from my son? He gave me a Teddy bear for Mother's day!
  10. My daughter, of course, as sweet as she is, gave me a gift and a card for Mother's day. This is the first Mother's day we were all together in the last few years. It was indeed very special. I think the used-to-be defiant teens left the house for good.  I have my teens and my home back!
Read more gratitude post through TToT blog.

Comments

  1. I'm glad you're back, Carin and I know how proud and happy you are to see that your son has "grown up" and embraced the values you have imparted over the years. My son went through a similar "rebellion" and he finally came around as a community college student. Enjoy your week.

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    1. That is comforting for me to hear about your son. I hope my son goes to community college too or other college after a year. He feels he needs a year break.

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  2. Hey! good to 'see' you at the TToT! Especially good to learn of the positive developments at home and with the kids... the best of TToTs!

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  3. This makes me smile. There is nothing that brings a mother's heart more joy than seeing her child who has veered off course right himself and return to a path that leads to a strong and healthy future. I am so very happy for him (and you).

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  4. Congratulations on your son's graduation! And I'm happy to hear you all had the opportunity to spend time together for Mother's Day.
    I am never too impressed with Red Lobster, but their cheddar bay biscuits are amazing. I could make a meal of those alone!

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    1. I took one biscuit to go and enjoyed it the next day. :)

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  5. Hi, Carin! I've been away from the TToT for ages, so don't let a month bother you!

    I'm so pleased to hear about the progress your kids have made! Both of my kids graduated last month, one from high school, one from college. It's a great feeling, isn't it?

    Hail damage isn't good, but a responsive insurance company it. We've had a lot of severe weather lately, and there was even softball sized hail about 100 miles north of here. Yikes!

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    1. The big hail hurt some people. Hail always makes me nervous even the small ones.

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  6. I have missed reading your posts, and I'm glad that you are back. How nice you can see and appreciate that wonderful growth from being a teen to being a young adult. I've only eaten at Red Lobster once. I think I had a reaction to lobster and have been afraid to eat there ever since. A lot of years have gone by, so I really need to try it again. We've never experienced hail the size of golf balls. I'm glad insurance will take care of the damage.

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  7. What a wonderful post with the best happenings ever, Carin! I have missed you but I assumed you were busy and would return. And you have, with such happy news of teenagers growing up into responsible loving young adults! Raising teens was a challenge for most of us, the fun part is becoming best friends in the years ahead!

    I love that your son put so much effort into graduating, has a good job, and remembered you on both graduation and Mother's Day with a sweet card and gifts, and your daughter did as well! I don't think there is anything that makes a mother happier than having both/all of her children together with her at one time to celebrate something! It sounds like graduation and the dinner afterwards were really nice events for you all to remember. Your children are so good looking! I loved Paul's silly face in the photo, that is something Papa Bear would also do. We love them because they make us laugh! :-)

    The hail damage was definitely not a thankful thing, but having insurance that will help you to repair the damage was. High winds knocked down a big old tree at Papa Bear's sister's house in East Texas, and it came smashing thru the roof into her house, leaving a gaping hole. She had no insurance and is scrambling to replace the downed power pole and get the roof repaired.

    I love most of all that your son thanked you for being both his mother and father, acknowledging how much effort you put into parenting and helping to keep his life good, I know that was the very best gift of all!

    I hope this week is going great for you, and you are enjoying some beautiful weather there now! XOXO

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    1. I haven't filed a claim since I bought this house 15 years ago. I sure am glad I have it. :)

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