Never mind all the post-vacation unpacking, laundry, grocery shopping, email-returns, phone calls, cleaning, and everything else. I can't wait another minute to acknowledge and celebrate that she

turned 16 over this weekend.

Any words are inadequate to the task of expressing my feelings on this milestone. I love her dearly. She is the one who has taught me the most about myself and about mothering, the daughter who suffers from an inexperienced & flawed mother who is doing everything for the first time (and flying by the seat of my pants, mostly). We do clash sometimes (as mothers and daughters do) especially as I learn to hand over more and more of the "controlling interest" in this lovely life I have nurtured and cherished and played a role in creating (but, really, I know it is her life, after all). She is a vessel of light and laughter. She has a good heart. She makes us proud.

Look out, world, here she comes, with keys to the minivan in hand (very soon) and dates on her calendar...

Also, world, please be good to her.

*French for sixteen. I know, getting all fancy!