Hi, I'm a mom.

We're making progress in life. And the week is finally making an upswing.

Coop's cough is finally better. I finally gave up on trying to give him the medicine. I know. That's probably not cool. But it all just wasn't worth it. And I figured he would either get better or worse. And if he got worse, then we'd just end up in the hospital anyway. And a nurse or somebody could be the medicine dosing heavy. So the end. And he's a little better. Certainly no worse. And I can quit sitting in the middle of the kitchen floor crying and bemoaning my failures as a mom who can't get her kid to take his medicine.

Hope, hope, hope, hope the cast comes off tomorrow.

The talent show....Looks like he might do knock-knock jokes. He REALLY wants to do "Yo Mama" jokes. I have put my Mama foot down on that one. Even though he does have some pretty good ones... I just can't, in good conscience, allow that. (Yo Mama is so fat, she sat on her iPhone and it turned into an iPad ... I know, I know...)

Jordan was dealing with some teenage problems. Nothing major. Just stuff that is a big deal in the life of a teenager. It involved boys (of course). And friends. And not friends. And it involved some lying and some major hurt feelings and some other stuff. And her world kind of stopped spinning for about an hour. But then, just like that, it all actually became quite hilarious. And then some other stuff happened. That's kind of related, but not really. And then the world started spinning again. And life is just fine (for now). And probably better than it was before. And Jordan is in the driver's seat of life once again. Funny how it all happens.

But let me just tell you, in case you don't know, it's hard being a parent of a teenager.

And she's a pretty good teenager.

Except she apparently got in trouble in Bible yesterday because she called her teacher "Bro". But that's another story for another time....

And, with that, I'm off to try to wake up all the other human beings in my house. And, I hope you, and Yo Mama, have a delightful day.

Short. Sweet.

Jordan, Niece M. and a friend took a little road trip on Wednesday. It wasn't too far - only about 75 miles. And they were only going to be gone about 14 hours. But it was the first time Jordan had gone with a teen driver on the road vs. just driving across town.

I told her to text me when they got there that evening and when they left the next morning - all that parental concern stuff since they would be driving on the interstate.

She obeyed.

Text from her at 6:13 pm --
"here"

Text from her at 7:51 am --
"leaving"


Alrighty then. Obedience in its simplest form.

The key to life

Yesterday morning I was sitting in Jordan's room while she was getting ready for school.

We were having a nice little talk.

Now, lest ye think that every morning is so calm and pleasant and we sit and chat over some cinnamon toast like the Cleavers, think again. Because most mornings we are flying out the door, socks and shoes and a granola bar in hand, throwing our stuff in the car and squealing tires to head up to the carpool bus stop to head to school.

But yesterday, for some reason, it was calm and Cleaver-ish. Cinnamon toast and everything.

And we were having a little chatty chat about school and friends and volleyball and boys and life and just stuff.

I remembered a Bible verse I wanted to share with her. So I grabbed my Bible and read it.

Then she waved her flat iron in the air and said, "Ohhhhhh....that reminds me....."

And I sat - in anticipation - waiting to hear what she would say.

Waiting to hear her tell me that verse fit perfectly with something we had just been talking about.

I waited for some "parental success story" - one of those times when you pat yourself on your parenting back and say "Yes, that clicked. That worked."

I waited for her to thank me for sharing it. To tell me it will help her. I sat there on her bed with high expectations of a Proud Mom Moment.

Instead she looked right at me and said, "I learned how to pick a lock yesterday."

Yep, she is the daughter of a cop.

Me: "What?"

Jordan: "Yeah, we needed to get the volleyball nets out of the equipment closet and the door was locked. So I picked it."

Me: "Don't tell your dad."

Anything else you want to ask?

"Can I have my cartilage pierced?"

"No."

"Can I have a Skype?"

"No."

"Can you buy me Justin Beiber tickets?"

"No."

"Can I ride with -- "

"No."

"Can I -- "

"No."

"Can -- "

"No."