To be or Not to be... TATTOOed

Ok, for those of you who are parents, you know that being a parent is the world's hardest job. You could make countless decisions in one day, sometimes not even knowing that you are making a decision. IT IS HARD WORK! When you really think about it, let's say you make 100 decisions in one day and you potentially get 80 of them right... that's only a B! I realize that B's aren't the end of the world, but I would not make the Dean's List with B's. Holy Cow, I can't believe I have been entrusted to raise these kids.

My blog today is about my beautiful and spirited daughter Rachel. She is at that age --- that wonderful - insightful - all knowing - I think I am adult age... almost 17. The world is at her feet, the sky is the limit, the world is her oyster, (that's all I can think of right now, so much for being philosophical). Anyhow, she has been driving us crazy over the last few months, but specifically the last week. She wants a tattoo, I mean REALLY wants a tattoo. I give her a lot of credit for all of the thought that she has put into this. She has really thought about what she wants and where she wants it, and I have to say, she has meaning for what she wants (something I never did).

So the dilemma, the good old I want my kids to learn from my mistakes, but know that they need to make their own choices and mistakes dilemma, you know the one? I remember being her age and wanting things and thinking that I would die without them, wanting something so bad that you can feel it - I don't want her to have that feeling. I want her to be able to be the beautiful and strong young woman that I would like to say that I had a hand in raising, but I don't want her to do things that she will (or could) regret. She of course argues that she won't regret it, I don't know the answer to that - I wish I had a crystal ball, but I don't.

Not only does she really want this certain tattoo, but she wants it on the inside of her wrist, somewhere where you could definitely see it - forever. I keep trying to talk to her about life and that she doesn't know what she will do with her life. What if she is President (she says she won't be and even if she is, President's can have tattoos), I asked her about marrying some important military man and going to big fancy black tie events with these tattoos on her hand, and she said "well if he doesn't like it, he shouldn't have married me". Touche' Rachel. See all of this stuff we raised her to believe has come back to bite me in the &%#.

You can probably tell what my feelings are about this, I don't want her to get it at this point in her life, but she is getting to the age where I am not going to have a say about what she does to her body. She is a really good kid, she gets very good grades, she has a gigantic heart, and she is an absolute joy to everyone around her. I love and adore her and I want to support her and her choices. When I told her that she had a year before she could just get it on her own and she wouldn't need our blessing, she says, I could go do it without your permission now, my friends go get them without their parents. See -again, good kid, tells truth, doesn't get her way because she is upfront and honest.

I will try to post what she wants to get, the computer is not letting me download it right now. It is a cluster of stars that signify each of her brothers and cousins. The boys are black stars, the girls are pink stars, and one star is red for her cousin with a heart defect. See, good choices again - no skull and cross bones, no I love random boyfriend, something that will stay with her forever - her family.

So please give us your comments, I am hoping that if she gets enough reasoning from others that she will want to wait OR maybe she will have a fan club that can persuade us. We'll see...

Oh Brady!

I couldn't resist posting this silly picture of Brady that Rachel took. It cracked me up. I wanted to tell him that old wives tell "be careful, or your face might get stuck like that", but I was afraid I would sound too much like my mom, so instead I just laughed at him. Bad parenting, I know. :)

Take Me Out To The Ballgame...

Our friends, Kelly and Nate weren't able to use their Rockies tickets this past week, so they offered them to us. I wasn't able to enjoy them, but Brian took Rachel, Mason, and Sam. It ended up being a very good game, the Rockies pulled off the win in the bottom of the 9th. Everyone had a great time, the seats were spectacular. Thanks Kelly and Nate!

Happy Birthday Brian!

Brian's Birthday always falls over the Labor Day Weekend, which he of course he thinks is pretty cool since he generally gets the Monday after his Birthday off. I'm not sure he even accepts the fact that Labor Day exists, I think he believes everyone gets the weekend off for him and his special day. So we let him believe that. Really, what does it hurt?

We celebrated Brian's 41st Birthday on Saturday, we had some friends and family over to celebrate with his favorite - BBQ. His parents, the kids, and I went in on a new golf bag and towel, tee's and golf balls; and a new Broncos shirt. He had a golf bag from like 1902, the thing weighs like 500 lbs. so I'm pretty sure that the bag alone is going to improve his golf game. :)

Mason made Brian's Birthday cake this year, I think he did a really great job. It was Brian's favorite kind, strawberry cake with cream cheese icing.



So Happy Birthday Honey, here is to another wonderful year of getting older. I love you and can't wait to continue to grow old with you. However, you will ALWAYS be older than I am.