![\"SHINY\"](\"http:\/\/parentingteensblog.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/11\/daring-300x279.jpg\" "\\"daring\\"")
SHINY<\/p><\/div>Over the weekend, one of “my” boys, Z, turned 18, and all week I knew something was up. He and The Boy had disappeared one morning into Sister City, and came back full of secrets and plans. Z was clearly up to something as he complained of not being able to find shoes the right size, and then zipping in and out of the house with a variety of questions: What movies are playing, what times, oh I’m not sure what that one’s about, can you look it up, cuz I’m taking S out on a date, to Paradisos – the ‘best’ restaurant in our area.<\/p>\n
Umhm.<\/p>\n
Z and S, see, have been together over a year, and I adore the both of them. They fit well together, compliment each other’s strengths, strengthen each other’s weaknesses, and are generally fun to be around at all times. But in all that time – I can count the number of times that I’d seen Z this nervous about a date, AND get dressed up, to boot. S even wore a dress. The girl has LEGS!<\/p>\n
I didn’t see them again until the next day, as Z and S had gone home to Z’s house for the night. But when I did, my suspicious were confirmed – a VERY happy bubbly S, fairly GLOWED as she whipped off her glove to show me….<\/p>\n
The Ring.<\/p>\n
Oh the kid did good – it’s a simple affair, and real. He spent a pretty penny on it, without going overboard, and she was clearly happy with the choice. Conveniently they had recently discussed ring sizes for their Senior Class Rings, so he even got the right size – and this was the result of that secretive trip to Sister City. I ooooh’d and aaaah’d and congratulated them both, got all the details (He did go down on one knee, he did as her father for permission first, he was a nervous wreck and she was thoroughly distracted by the SHINY SHINY RING and couldn’t answer for a bit) and teased them some too. I’d always kinda hoped she’d come to her senses and decide The Boy was right for her, but well, having her with one of “my” boys is close enough. She really is that much of a joy to have around!<\/p>\n
And then I gave my first piece of advice: Don’t. Be. Stupid.<\/p>\n
They looked shocked for a minute, until I clarified. This doesn’t mean they can’t graduate, this does not mean college is out of the question, this doesn’t mean they need to get hitched this summer! Take your time, be sure, be rational, and I damn well better be invited to the wedding – that had better not involve any babies in attendance calling me NanaMom either! They blushed and stammered and assured me that’s not the plan at ALL, and that they would continue to be the smart little shits I know and love.<\/p>\n
I know they are young, so young, to be making this kind of decision in a world that often waits years longer in this day and age, but they are so happy, that I can’t help but be happy for them too. And I’ll continue with the advice as well – because you KNOW I always have an opinion!<\/p>\n
And so do you! So tell me what advice would you give the newly engaged couple?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Over the weekend, one of “my” boys, Z, turned 18, and all week I knew something was up. He and The Boy had disappeared one morning into Sister City, and came back full of secrets and plans. Z was clearly up to something as he complained of not being able to find shoes the right […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14,175],"tags":[190,217,224,241,328,271],"class_list":["post-1677","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-nablopomo","category-relationships","tag-advice","tag-diamond","tag-engagement","tag-happy","tag-nablopomo-6","tag-rings"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gonfalon.org\/eclat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1677","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gonfalon.org\/eclat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gonfalon.org\/eclat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gonfalon.org\/eclat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gonfalon.org\/eclat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1677"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/gonfalon.org\/eclat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1677\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gonfalon.org\/eclat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1677"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gonfalon.org\/eclat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1677"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gonfalon.org\/eclat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1677"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}