Spring time, music and beaus!

Spring in the Willamette Valley....amazing! Great rehearsal of quality music...inspiring! Raising a 12 year old mini goddess...priceless! Yesterday evening, I had an alto sectional rehearsal for our upcoming June concert. There was no time to waste after picking up the mini goddess after one of her many after-school activites so I took her with me. Right before I picked her up, my cell phone rang, announcing a somewhat anticipated call. I was greeted with practiced formality, by a voice that was trying very hard to make it into tenor range, dreaming of being a baritone, but was painfully, just barely making alto. "May I speak to the mini goddess, please?" "Oh, o.k. Could you tell her Billy called?" *Makes note to self to get those books out about adolescent girls!* O.K. back to the schedule. The rehearsal was at a home in an area of town filled with sweet old homes, surrounded by creeks, trees and gardens. We were both enjoying the sights...ducks crossing to the creek, children playing outside in the early evening sun and the wisteria hanging off the second story of a turn-of-the-century home.

As I started rehearsal, the mini goddess asked if she could use the cell phone to call her friends. Like any caring mother, I asked if it was 7:00 yet...the daytime minutes thing, you know! She took the phone outside to sit on the patio and enjoy the evening air....right?! Rehearsal was awesome! Making music with such gifted vocalists and having our artistic director there (not usually at sectionals) to guide us through the incredible music was inspiring. How could the evening be better? Well......about 5 minutes later the mini goddess floats in...really...floated! She had this nearly goofy look on her face and was blushing..really..blushing! She mouths something to me, "I've got a...", huh? Then at the first break in the music, leans over to me and grinning from ear to ear, whispers, "I've got a boyfrieeeend!" Oh, my goddess! Stop the world! When did this happen? Did we discuss this? Did she ask ME?

Well, as it turns out, we had discussed it. We had many conversations about how she has great guy friends and how silly some girls get when they are "going" with a boy. She has actually asked if she could say yes, if and when a boy asked her to "go with him". But, this is different! It has actually happened! *breathe in, breathe out*

So, here is how the phone conversation went: "Hi! This is the mini goddess. Did you call me?" "Yeah, I did." "Oh, what did you want?" "Would you be my girlfriend?" "Yeah, o.k." "O.K. see you at school." "O.K. bye!" I guess I don't have much to worry about for now. Except for her growing self confidence, generated by being a couple. She says to me on the way home, "Mom, I have a boyfriend...before YOU! I think you better get busy!" Oh, yes, little one, I will get right on that in between your dance rehearsals, performances, competitions, orchestra concerts and track meets...oh, and grad school, work and chorus! This morning, she walks into my room with a cute little white t-shirt, with glittery pink letters that reads I HAD A NIGHTMARE THAT I WAS YOUR GIRLFRIEND! and says to me, "I guess I shouldn't wear this today, right?!" We laugh hysterically.....all is well...but then she did spend a lot more time in the bathroom this morning!