Go Directly to Adulthood. Do Not Pass Go, Do Not Collect $200.

     At some point along the way, I became an adult.  By adult, I don't mean that I became 18 or 21 or whatever the appropriate age is to be officially declared "adult".  No, I'm talking about the "responsible" one in the room full of kids, the one that worries about getting home at a reasonable time, so I don't ache all over the next morning, the one that religiously puts lotion on her hands at night because hey, I'm not getting any younger and one of these days, those wrinkles are going to fight back, the one that is labeled "chaperone" in a group of high schoolers, that's the "adult" I'm talking about.  I didn't even see it coming either, it just snuck up on me and hit me in the back of the head like a big 2x4... SMACK!  I declare you an adult!  (Cue the gasps and shrieks of horror).

     I may or may not have mentioned before that my husband, Brad, leads high school worship at our church on Wednesday nights.  We always go early because he has sound check and "rehearsal" (rehearsal meaning he tunes his guitar and the high school kids that are supposed to make up the band and are supposed to be running through the songs with him flit around the room like hummingbirds from group to group gossiping, giggling, and in general making a big to do about some drama that really isn't a drama at all, but rather some meaningless nonsense such as OMG, Becky and Kelly wore the same dress to Johnny's party and it was like, sooooo embarrassing!).  Tonight, Morgan and I decided to go with him and hang out for a bit before dropping Morgan in the nursery and heading off to choir rehearsal myself.  Let me preface this next part by saying that I do realize that I'm now officially a mom and I am working on coming to terms with that.  I was aware that was going to happen and I had 9 months to prepare for it, but nobody tells you about the adult thing.  Nobody gives you any kind of countdown like oh, by the way, you've got 3 years, 6 months, and 8 days til you're an adult... have fun while you can!  No, no, it just dawns on you one day.  That day was today for me.

     I was sitting there, or rather I was running all over the room chasing Morgan and keeping her from pulling an amp down on herself or impaling herself with a mic stand or some other such tragedy, when I took a quick stock of the high school students in the room.  These kids were about 15, 16, maybe 17 and the biggest concern for them was some test that was coming up and the fact that they were apparently going to have to survive on Taco Bell when they got to college because they all assumed they would be broke, which really upset one guy in particular who had a sworn vengeance against Taco Bell.  No big deal.  I can remember when my biggest problem was wondering if the guy I had a crush on at the time knew I was staring at him in class or not.  But then, my traitorous brain played a trick on me and had me do some quick math... When were these kids born?  Oh... my... gosh... these kids, the ones that I thought I was not that far off from, were BORN when I was already in HIGH SCHOOL!  I was DRIVING when these kids were in DIAPERS!  SMACK!  I declare you an adult!  Oh Lord... somebody bring me some Motrin... and an Icy Hot Patch... and a cup of Earl Grey while you're at it.  I was not prepared for this!  Not only that, but I'm also a good bit older than the high school PASTOR!  Yep, I can no longer fake it anymore.  I can't be the "just out of college" person anymore, I can't be the "I'm older than you, but I'm not too old to still hang out with you" person, I can't even be the "yeah, I'm out of school, but I still act like a kid, so I'm cool" person anymore.  Nope, I'm an adult now.

     BUT, I'm an adult that still enjoys singing at the top of my lungs to a song in the car, that still freaks out when Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes make their appearance in the grocery stores each year, that still likes to get all dressed up and pretend I'm going to prom when my husband takes me out somewhere fancy, that still loves rolling in the grass and watching the clouds, that gets all giddy inside when the mall puts up their Christmas decorations and when Christmas morning finally arrives... yep, I'm an adult who still enjoys the kid side of life and I'm okay with that!