How Does A Parent Survive Raising A Teen?

How do we survive as parents, raising a teen? How about a teenage daughter? Sometimes I feel like I am about to break. For a long time, my darling teen wanted to go to school to be a Vet. .....and after she got a job working with animals, she moved up to a pet nurse assistant and decided that she really didn't want to become a vet....although she loves animals, especially her horse. Veterinarian school takes many many years and she then decided that she wanted to still help and work in the health field so she started becoming interested in ultrasound tech...we even visited the university that she wanted to attend out of state. Soon after that came her wanting to join The Navy....and she came so very close.  All the tests were passed, physical, the whole nine yards done....but very scarce in jobs...NOW....she has been dating this really nice guy and has decided to wait a year on Navy things, and has even looked into The Air Force and The Marines....only because she said that she wants to be informed and know all of her choices....GREAT !  I say, however, all this change is about to drive me bananas. I am happy for one thing, that she is trying to find her way now, before she graduates high school this year, but on the other hand, all this back and forth almost has me dizzy. There is so much required these days in college and funds are not as abundant as they used to be. Every day I see in the news of people getting laid off...from teachers to city workers and I just don't know what's going to happen next....it's for sure, at least in my opinion...that this country is NOT doing better as far as economy. Can a parent survive raising a teen these days? With many options for their future, I wonder what my darling daughter will want next....and so I wait......patiently.

What Plans Come Next?

Being a mother of a teen can be really nerve-wracking....I watch my darling daughter go through every day life and sometimes I am just amazed.  School, prom, future graduation, her job, riding and taking care of her horse, it seems that life travels fast. I remember her not so long ago as a baby in my arms.  I told her that her senior year of high school would really go fast, and it has. So, to update: at this time, she has decided to wait on the Navy, and that's only because she has to take the ASVAB test again because even though she passed, they wanted a higher score and she needs to really buckle down and study before she can take it again....plus....she is also thinking about going to college for a year.  I am wondering if it has something to do with her horse, as she really loves riding. I'm also wondering if it has to do with a young man also.....guess we'll see.

My Daughter's Horse.....Frenchie

My daughter has made prom plans, and we have such a busy year this year, but she still dedicates almost every day to spending time with her horse, Frenchie.  Frenchie and my teen have grown together and it's been a wonderful experience for them both. Frenchie came from a father, and grandfather who have won championships through racing. Frenchie was almost in the same way of life, trained and ready to run, until my daughter came along, touched the owner's heart with her love for Frenchie, that he sold her to us. My daughter has plans for her Frenchie.....and that means going where she goes....whether it's Navy, or college. I look back now, and am so glad that I gave my daughter the chance to have Frenchie. Having a horse has made her a wonderful person. She has compassion, she has tolerance, endurance, and patience, plus the fact that she had to work and volunteer for a couple of years to earn her right to have a horse. Horses are very expensive, especially if you don't have the land to keep them on. Frenchie has been more than just your average "pet".  She has become a way of life for my daughter, and  I am very proud of all that she has accomplished by having her and training her.

FINALLY Found A Prom Dress...

My daughter went last weekend to look at dresses and came back with liking a certain amount but nothing bought....and so I had no choice but to go out on the hunt with her and see what we could find. I will have to say that David's Bridal, in the Houston area had some very good prices on dresses and that's where we made our final purchase. We went to 5 different shops before settling upon the final dress though.  If you are in the Houston area, there is a little dress shop in the Almeda Mall, right next to Macy's that had some great prices and alot of choices, but my daughter kind of already had her mind set on a particular type of dress so nothing that she tried on was what she had in mind. We also stopped at some shops in Pasadena, but one dress liked might not come in all sizes so David's Bridal seemed to be more stocked with her size, plus she loved being catered to by the attendant. Now that we have settled on a beautiful mermaid-type dress, it's time to look for the shoes.  Oh, and by the way, when shopping for that perfect prom dress, try and find something that fits really well so you don't have to spend the extra money getting it altered, which can get quite costly.

Prom Is Up And Coming Soon

This is my daughter's final year, a senior, who seems to be very happy with life, fulfilled with all that she is accomplishing and almost out of high school. Prom is just under a month away and the dress hunting has already begun. I thought that she would have found something by now, but the hunt continues...and woah! the prices are more than a hundred dollars....and most of the ones she likes are right under $200. All the plans are coming into focus right now but she started to mention that all of her friends were wanting to rent a beach house and I was starting to get queasy about it, but soon after, those plans seemed to fade away, which made things a little more easier for me. Prom, graduation, the thought of her going into the Navy or College, and her 18th birthday is so much that it makes my head spin, as well as the all-mighty dollar needing to be spent.