[Nevertheless] Twenty-one [Advent 22]

I'm officially old. Like, old, old. Like, I have a twenty-one year old child old. (OK, so not that old, but it feels super old to have a child that old.)

I was twenty-one years old (and 2 weeks) when I got married, for heaven's sake! (What was I thinking? My parents must have been freaking out just a little. I was sooooo young, but somehow didn't feel too young. Well, I'm still married to the guy, so at least there's that.) How can I have a child who is twenty-one? 

Yes, I am freaking out a little. I'm not sure if Alex is, though, since he didn't remember how old he was a couple weeks ago and didn't seem fazed when I informed him he was nearly twenty-one. 

So, Alex, TODAY! Today is the day you turn twenty-one years old! I'm sure your eleven year old sister will remind you that that means you are a "real" adult and can drink alcoholic beverages and do all the things. What it really means is that you have the greater part of your life laid out before you and you need to make good life choices. Be responsible, try new things, be helpful, be kind, go to church every once in a while (or every week or most weeks and defintely some Tuesday nights), remember that you own a cell phone and should have it with you in case your mother (who will always worry about you, even when you're 71) needs to contact you, and step out of your comfort zone every once in a while and see where it takes you. And don't forget to have fun along the way.