Another Road Block Down (for real)

A few weeks ago, I wrote about Tori's 100+ mile drive and first foray onto the Interstate, all of which took us one step closer to that long-overdue driver's license. That was the last of the actual driving milestones to pass and left nothing for her to do but show up and take the test.

She did that yesterday.

After more than two years of building up that test in her mind and then some problems with her paperwork when we arrived, the experience was a little unsettling for everyone. Then, an hour later...

And then, there are days like this...

No, there's no babysitting gig or nephew involved in this adventure. We just picked up that kite at Wal-Mart and took it out to fly.

A Pretty Young Woman on a City Street at Night

That's what I saw. I opened this picture and I saw a pretty young woman on a Chicago street late at night. It isn't as if I didn't recognize her or she looked different to me in any concrete way. But, I'd have sworn throughout her life--would still swear--that I've always seen her as an independent person and not just "my kid". And this...this isn't a picture of my kid. This is a picture of a young woman out in the city with her boyfriend and somehow, that looks different from 100 similar pictures I've taken of her or seen her friends share.

Has she changed that much recently? Is it because I didn't know she was in the city until she started sending me pictures? Because she's standing in front of a landmark she's never visited with me? Because it's night and it's a tavern she's standing in front of?

I have no idea.

But, when I opened this picture, I didn't see "my kid". I saw a pretty young woman on a city street at night. Somewhat to my surprise, that was a very cool experience.