one shot before they drive
When we took our daughter floating for her 10th birthday I kept thinking how much fun Corbett and his friends would have doing the same. Floating the Illinois River is kinda a part of the teen and college years for many Oklahomans. If you know someone that grew up in this area of the state, most likely they floated the Illinois. I did back when the canoes were made of fiberglass. I remember flipping the canoe and climbing on top of the underside…and paying for that decision when my skin crawled with fiberglass. I didn’t do that again.
When you are out on a raft for several hours with friends it is perfect opportunity to really just hang out and be together. There are no distractions. There isn’t good cell service and even if there was no one wants their phone out. You just kick back, float, jump off rocks, eat from your cooler and be together.
I offered to take Corbett and his friends if they wanted to go. I even offered up that Chris could take them instead of me because he is way more fun and I am a rule follower/enforcer. To my surprise, Corbett took me up on my offer to be the adult going along. I think he knew I wouldn’t try to be a part of their fun! The guys got a raft and I got a 1-man kayak.
For most of the day I stayed far behind the guys and let them have their time together. It was an introvert’s dream – hours of no one talking to me and so much to quietly soak in and observe.
A couple of my friends commented that I was brave for taking a group of 15 year old boys on a float trip. Floating down that river alone in my kayak with no one to share my snacks with and no one to talk to me – well, brave is definitely not the word I would use. I actually thought several times, “I need to come do this by myself more often!”
This group of guys will be driving next summer. When I asked Corbett if I could take them floating I did it knowing this would likely be my only shot. Next summer if they float the river they will likely drive themselves. I had one shot at being his mom when he was a newborn. One shot at snuggling him and breathing in that newborn goodness. I have one shot at being his mom the summer he is 15. Recognizing that makes it easier to be intentional to look for the unique and wonderful things about 15 – like how they are independent and pretty mature and can’t drive yet!
It was a good, good day.
15 is a pretty awesome age. Corbett began Driver’s Ed last weekend and his written exam appointment is on the calendar. He spent last Friday driving the state learning about real estate and land sales with his uncle. He already has financial investments and knows the type of jobs he does’t want. He has three years left of high school. I don’t know how we got here so fast, but we got here. I can’t slow down time. I can’t speed up time. I can only show up today, give myself grace when I feel like I am missing the mark as a mom, and look for chances to soak up 15.
