Happy Birthday Riley! Sweet 16 and ...

Well Riley's 16th birthday has come and gone and its been a very busy weekend. The birthday festivities started on Friday when Riley's friends Bri, Jeremy, Jackson and Grayson with Bri in charge decided that Riley must have a surprise birthday party. Riley's birthday celebrations actually started a week previous when we sent him to Cancun as his gift but his friends just felt he needed to celebrate this event in style. About 100 text messages later and many many suggestions evaluated and thrown out, they decided on a surprise dinner at one of his favourite restaurants, "Moxies" and then a "land yacht" 2 hour sail around Victoria. (translated is a party bus that fits 20, loud music, suspect drinks out of paper cups).


While all the planning was done by the kids, I got to peek in at the festivities now and again as they needed a chauffeur to the restaurant and at the bus pick up. Hearing 20 kids cheer "Surprise" gave me a little chill. The kids all looked so good - girls dressed up and boys cleaned up. Not a pimple among them - something sure has changed since my day!

I was quite unsure about these party buses but they seem to be very popular. After the 1 am pick up I am now a believer. No wrecked house, all very civilized and the kids were in great shape at pick up.

Riley's real birthday on Saturday was a bit of a non event for him as we attended the wedding of our best friend Wendy's first born son Mitch. Yikes - now attending weddings of our friends kids!!! I wish I could say we all had a great time but Riley was overtired from the night before and he was the first to want to leave the reception! Should have left him at home.

Sunday, Riley and I drove to Penticton where I dropped him off to spend the last few days of summer with some friends. I was eagerly anticipating the four hours I had him trapped in the car to have some quality all about life chats but we mostly listened to his bad music and discussed the construction of the Coquihalla Highway. An ah - ha moment was realizing while Riley has travelled the world, he hasn't seen much of BC. Must fix that soon!

The Penticton Ironman was on when we arrived - very exciting and emotional to watch athletes of all shapes, sizes, ages and fitness levels challenge themselves to the ultimate. Really overwhelming to know one who has done it. Riley loved it all and has declared he wants to do an Ironman one day. Perhaps he will and I'd love to be there cheering him on. The family and friends support of the Ironman is a very powerful thing to observe. (ok maybe I should consider trying to do one myself ... hmmm)

So saving the best for last - today is Monday and the first day since Riley turned 16 that the motor vehicle licensing branch was open. Drove back from Osoyoos where I'm staying to pick Riley up and at the office when it opened at 8:30. My boy is now the proud owner of an "L" and I'm relgated to the passenger seat for the end of time. It was cool.

A Mother's Job is to Worry - A Son's Job is to Not

So, I didn't get much of a Riley fix this week. Cancun does not support his cell phone and the beach and all the toys were much more fun that sitting in front of a computer sending emails home.

I did get one message on Saturday that sent me into that world of worry yet again. In checking in with Riley regarding the upcoming hurricane Dean, I asked if there was much going on at the resort. Riley told me all should be fine as their flight left at 3 pm on MONDAY. Gasp!!! Not true. His flight left at 3 on SUNDAY! Could it be he read his ticket wrong. Would he miss his flight, would he get caught in Cancun and have to experience the hurricane. Would it cost me yet another $1000. Would it, could it. Sigh. Called the hotel and left a message with someone with broken English, left more emails, checked flight info on the family he was staying with. Checked airline departure schedules. Checked, checked and rechecked.

I knew that it was very likely he just made the off hand comment on the day and really was on his way home on Sunday but still it was un-nerving. A text message Sunday night from Salt Lake City International Airport finally gave me the answer. My boy was on his way home ... When asked what he meant by Monday he texted "oh I just got the date wrong".

A Regular Kid?

I was reminded yesterday that I haven't blogged in a while. I guess I've been wrapped up in Riley being home and haven't had the urge or need to write. This blog started out as a way for me to express some of my anxiety about Riley and me and all that he has facing and this week we fell into what some might describe as a "normal" mother and child relationship. He slept late, he ate a lot and he had me drive him about 2000 miles around town to his friends, movies, haircut etc. I was happy to do so as a captured teenager in a car means access to information, if not from him well at least from his friends.

Riley has some great friends and they are always polite and willing to chat with me. They are reaching the magic sixteen mark which means discussion focuses on cars and driving (diverting from girls for a short time no doubt). Interestingly, I taught Riley to drive several years ago (once a farm girl always a farm girl) and from time to time he has been behind the wheel. Now that he only has a couple of weeks until his birthday (August 25th!), he has no appetite risking not getting the coveted "L" and is content to let me be the chauffeur. On August 27th however, I relinquish the wheel most likely for ever.

As part of Riley's month of normal (September is the beginning of the year of the Olympics), we have agreed to send him to Mexico for a weeks vacation with a friend and his family. One might think he would not want to get near a plane given his schedule this past year but this trip is different. Surf, sand, girls and a whole lot of fun at an all inclusive resort in Cancun. And not a diving board in site. It will be a great time and a way to recharge his batteries before he starts what will likely be the most stressful year of his life. Enjoy it Riley, you deserve it.