Mini Blessings

We have had a big weekend, well actually, 6 days here in our little corner of the south.  Mini turned 16 yesterday (okay, I took so long to post it was actually last week) so we have been celebrating for days now!

I am going to do a little shameless bragging about her now.  I haven't posted about this but Mini recently made the decision not to cheer this year in high school.  I cried because I knew how much time she had invested in the sport (and because I had no idea last year was her last year and didn't take all the pics I wanted to!) and was a bit worried she might regret her decision.  She chose to not cheer this year because she is an officer in FCA, has a heavy class schedule next year, has a fundraiser she is working on and wanted more time to be more involved in church youth. 

Most little girls from our area dream of becoming a high school cheerleader and would never consider walking away, but not our Mini.  Although she loved it, she felt that her focus should be on God, then other community/school activities and that she could not devout the time to cheer she would need to and keep her priorities in order.   She wanted to spend her time surrounded by people with like drive and morals doing things that will change her life and others lives.  I was a bit sad that it was over, but so incredibly proud of her very mature decision.   How could you not be proud of that?

By the time school was out she had her first job and was ready to get started.  Wonder Hubby was not a huge fan of us having to drive our gas guzzling 4runner to take her to work, but hey, when you have a kid that has a job and wants to work you better just shut up and drive so I did :)

So she has been busy with church and a job and enjoying some down time for the first time in a long time as we were leading up to her birthday.  Both our children saved up money for a car and we and their grandparents contribute to the fund so we have been on the hunt for her first car.

Mini and her new car and 1st "Little Black Dress"

Finally, last weekend we found one!  Yea.....I think we had considered about 200 and it was growing tiresome! We purchased the car on Saturday.  Sunday we shopped for a dress to wear out for her birthday dinner.  Monday night we took her out for dinner at the Melting Pot.....for those of you that have not been it is a must do.   Here are a few pics.

She has the best smile!

Mini's birthday finally arrived and she was visited by my little brother aka P.  P delivered a gift that he and BDJ had gone together on.

They got Mini her first set of real pearls....necklace, earrings and bracelet!  Lucky girl to have a brother and uncle that spoil her (FYI....this little brother doesn't spoil me like this....not unless you count putting on brakes and such! lol).

Mini and P

Mini and BDJ (that is him on the phone she is holding....we told him to smile...but I think his eyes are closed!).

Mini and her pearls.

By this time Mini had a car, had enjoyed a great dinner out at The Melting Pot and gotten some really beautiful jewelry but the day wasn't over.......

She and Wonder Hubby set off to the DMV.  I was a nervous wreck and figured since I had done this with BDJ, I would let Wonder Hubby flip out enjoy this with Mini.  Off she goes on her driving test.

And she is back

.....tapping foot waiting.......

 She passed!  Everybody grab your helmets!  She asked the nice DMV examiner for a picture (I remember thinking they were very scary people back in the day when I tested).

We finished up the day with cake and ice cream with the family (all but BDJ who was hard at work in Las Vegas and couldn't be here,  I know he wished he could have been) and I made her wings for dinner.

Worn out after days of b-day celebrating!

I do believe Mini was/is a very happy girl....in fact I saw her tweet telling the world what a great day she had and how blessed she is.
When I went to bed that night I knew that our lives had shifted this day and would never be the same.  As excited as I was for her to be Sweet Sixteen and to have her license and a car.....I knew my role would never be the same.  So much of our children's lives is revealed on those drives to and from school and practices...and now that completely uninterrupted time is gone....I know, I know, I'm whining.  I'm happy...really I am!


I mean it's not like we are actually gonna let her leave the house anytime soon :)


*****UPDATE*****


I wrote this post a week ago but never got it posted......since then we did let her leave the house for her first solo drive to work on Saturday....this is what it looked like.

I am kind of crazed about her driving but I am getting better.  I just keep reminding myself that I have it much better than my parents did....I get to be in constant contact through phone/texts!