Confessions

Confession Number One:  I can't stop thinking about how beautiful Daughter looked on her way to Saturday night's Holly Ball with her date, Jack V.  I don't care how many times I stare at these pictures, I am in awe.  She's beautiful, she's smart, she's funny and she can sink a shot from half court when it counts.  I just adore her and feel so incredibly fortunate and privileged to be her mother.


Confession Number Two: Saturday was the Mathews Christmas parade.  For the first time in I don't know how many years, I didn't go.  On purpose.  I napped instead.  I have no regrets.  There, that's off my chest.  I feel better now.


Confession Number Three:  After work today, I will race to Richmond to retrieve Son, who is returning home for Christmas break.  He will undergo surgery Tuesday in Norfolk to remove bars placed into his chest two years ago.  (Click here and here  for posts written around the time of that first surgery.) Because of all this, I will (probably) miss two of Daughter's basketball games, only because I've not figured out how to clone myself to be two places simultaneously.  I hate missing Daughter's games.  I might not feel any remorse for napping instead of attending the Christmas parade, but I do feel remorse at the prospect of missing one of her basketball games.

Anyway, it is going to be another busy, eventful week here.

I hope yours is great.

Holly Ball

Saturday night was the Holly Ball for Mathews High School students.  Based on Son Sam's desire to have a pre- and post-Holly Ball gathering at my house, I needed to have the place at least looking like it was ready for Christmas.  Above is the artificial tree I've battled since Sam was two years old.  Since this is a PG-rated blog, I won't go into the words that were hurled forth into the universe trying to get this thing up from the basement, assembled and decorated.  You're welcome.

Below is the also-decorated dining room where Sam, his friend Dillon and their dates ate rather than going out somewhere.

(Guess who did the cooking?)

While I was cooking, Sam's date Kelly helped with Daughter Maria's makeup.

By the way, this is the first time 15-year-old Maria has allowed anyone to make her up for a dance. Although I've asked in the past, she was quick to show me the hand and shake her head vehemently.

This time, however, she agreed to it. (Thank you again, Kelly.) 

I adore this girl.
(Her brother too.)

Maria, Sam, Sam's date/friend Kelly and Sam's friend Dillon, whose date had not yet arrived.

Kelly ran cross country with Daughter; she and Dillon both play soccer.

Daughter's date Justin also ran cross country and broke more than a few records this year.

Dillon and his gorgeous date Ginna

Our lovely neighbors Sabrina and Robyn Barrack
stopped by to take Daughter and Date out to dinner.
They went to Richardson's.

I just love this picture.

My two favorite people.  (Dimples, anyone?)

There's so much I could say about this. It's as if they're trying to be good, but there's
a little twinkle in their eyes.  Like they're already fast forwarding to the post-dance gathering in my
 basement, an event that lasted until HAS IT ENDED YET?

Dinner for the seniors

We all survived the Holly Ball. 

The End.

Holly Ball

My daughter and her date.
Yes, she's taller.
Bless his heart.

Saturday was a busy day if you were a parent of teens in Mathews County. I happen to be the parent of two teens, so I was doubly stressed busy.

First there was the Christmas parade. I'll show those pictures later in the week.

Then there was the Holly Ball, which is a formal high school dance that wasn't invented when I went to Mathews High School back in the late '70s and early '80s.

Among other things that weren't invented yet were computers, cell phones, I-things, internet, fruit roll ups, reality TV shows, cable TV, and indoor plumbing electricity.

After all the requisite fuss and ado to prepare for this outing, Son took off in one direction to pick up his date (who is from Essex), and Daughter and I went to a friend's pre-dance gathering.

With the exception of the first girl on the left, these young ladies
have been together since preschool, which was only yesterday. 
Now look at them.  (Sniff.)

They're growing up too so fast.

Did I mention my daughter had a DATE? 
(He is adorable and very nice. He texted her several times
the day after the dance to let her know 
he had a good time.  Bless his heart.)

I still cannot believe this is happening.
Young adults emerging right before
 my bloodshot  eyes.

After sending Daughter off with her date to the dance, I scurried home to meet Son, his date, and another couple who was with them.

Son's date was gorgeous.  And all smiles.

O.M.G.  
I know I'm the mother and more than 
slightly biased, but are these two beautiful or what?

After they left for the dance, I hung out with two other mothers who successfully distracted me from all the worrying and fretting I would have done if I were home alone.

I am thrilled to announce that we all survived the 2012 Mathews High School Holly Ball.

Amen.