Life with a 14 Year Old (16)
Our incredibly exciting week of welcoming our first grandchild has begun to wind down as our oldest and her new daughter are now at home and the newest member of our family is hungry every hour and a half. We’re getting back to normal at our house too as we got the yard mowed, Denise made a dinner at home, and our 14 year old had a sleep over (at our house) with a friend.
Today is Saturday, and unfortunately it started out like any other weekday with my alarm going off at 5:40 am – I forgot to turn it off with all the excitement this week! I took advantage of an early wake up call to let the dog out and turn the sprinklers on – and then crashed for another hour or so.
When I finally got up for good this morning, we opened up the house and a spectacularly cool breeze began flowing through our main floor. The sun is still very hot, but that cool breeze is countering the heat and making this an incredible morning and a very comfortable day.
As the coffee finished and I sat down at my desk for some time of reflection and prayer, my phone rang. My oldest had already called her mother as they are in route to the hospital for a follow up check on Audrey. I expected it to be my oldest, but was surprised to answer and see it was my 14 year old.
“Dad, will you take us out to breakfast?”
“No, I’ll make you something here. What do you want?”
“Dad, remember I told you last week that I wanted to go out to breakfast this weekend?”
“Fine. Let me talk to your mother. But where are you?”
“I’m up in my room. So call me back!”
What kind of family are we? I must admit that our house is larger than we need, but not so large that my 14 year old should be calling me from her cell phone to ask a question just so she doesn’t have to get out of bed and walk down the stairs.
As I always do (at least that’s my story), I wandered into the kitchen to discuss this with my wife.
“Megan wants to go out for breakfast.”
“Where is she. She didn’t come down.”
“She called and asked.”
Denise chuckled and said, “At least we got one good cup of coffee.”
I went back to my office and called my 14 year old, “OK, we’re going out for breakfast.”
“Yeah!”Â
So now, on such a beautiful day with such a wonderful cool breeze blowing through the house, I’m rushing through my morning routine so my wife and I can take these two 14 year olds out to breakfast.
I’m trying so hard not to be a “crotchety old man” [see prior post titled “Getting Old”], but every now and then I desperately desire routine and also desperately desire the still calmness of such a beautiful morning.
But how in the world can you refuse a 14 year old with a friend who calls on her cell phone from her room before they get out of bed and begs to be taken out for breakfast?
I certainly can’t!