A big day in the Kling household

Last week, all four of us piled into the car and headed east to Canandaigua. We had lots of little things to do like haircuts and picking up a birthday present, but the main goal of our trip was for Kirsten to take her written learner's permit test. She passed and we now have a new driver in the Kling household! (...Damn - that reminds me I need to call the insurance company.) I was a total geek Mom and made her stand for a photo with her permit. It's one for the baby book. I got home and immediately emailed photos to Mimi & Papa. I sent photos to Aunt Kate & Aunt Jo too. Then I got sad. It was a huge day in my life - one of those big right-of-passage moments in your kids' lives. It would've been big for Jim too. I can still see the little blond pipsqueek riding off with Uncle Jim & Aunt Kate in the back of Aunt Kate's jeep, hair flying in the wind with a big smile on her face, and now she's in the driver's seat. I wanted to call him and share. I wanted him to get on the phone and tease her like he did so well. I cried pretty good that night - for all the moments, big and small, my kids and his, won't be able to share with him.