Thursday, August 13, 2009

Independence.......

I couldn't wait for it. Getting a job. Getting a car. Getting a life. Man, they were exciting days!!! The day I got my car licence, I got in my car (a 1967 Toyota Corona, mint green, three speed automatic, $5 to fill up!!!!!) and drove from Ballarat to Geelong, along the Great Ocean Road and then back home through miles of dairy farmland. I think I only stopped once to get a meat pie and a milkshake (ooh yuk) at one of the many little seaside towns along the way. I did it by myself, the windows down, the radio up, and celebrated my independence and freedom.
I wonder now, how my parents coped with it all? I look at my own children and can't imagine them growing up and not needing me so much. But it will happen - isn't there some quote that goes along the lines of "if you love something, let it go"? And, like everyone else, my children will grow up and start to live their own lives. I can only hope and pray that they still want to include me in it.
We have had many discussions recently about the things that I am teaching them now, are for their future, for the days when they will be independent. Harri just snorts at me as if to say "oh Mum, I'm always going to live at home", and in the back of my mind I can see him being 27 or so and still lying on the couch with a book in one hand and a piece of sandwich in the other, saying "Mum, can I have another Milo?"
Ellie on the other hand, is a bit of an enigma. I'm just not sure if she will stay at home or take off around the world. Most days, I see so much of me in her (scary) and I think, "she'll be off - the first chance she gets". But the other day, Ellie was sitting at the table, finishing up her breakfast when she put her head down on the table and began to cry.

"What's up toots", I asked.

"Oh Mummy, I haven't got much time left", she said in between sniffs.

"For what Ellie-belle".

"Until I'm big and have my own life - I've worked it out and I've only got about 11 years left, and I'm just not ready".
Sigh. Yeah, you and me both kiddo!!!!

6 comments:

jenb said...

hat an absolutely adorable little girl, and hasn't changed much either.

jenb said...

That should say "What..."

Jordan said...

Hehe, well I'm ahead of her. I've only got 6 or so years...

Theresa said...

What scares me the most.. is thinking how old I will be when that day comes... 11 years from now and I am one old chicken and Nate will only be 13 aarrggghhhh!

Uness - a R&B/ Hip Hop band... google it!

SF said...

Oh my goodness that's an adorable photo!!! :) Mmmmhmmmm, I can relate to all of the above. I'll never be ready for it!
I love Ellie's little 'breakdown' - she makes me smile. :) Poor little thing!

AndrewWrites said...

You are a goose. That is all.

Serpie - A feeling of queasiness brought on by eating too much cheese. "After all that cheese, he felt a little serpie."