Becca's 18th Birthday!

I'm not quite sure how half of this year has gotten away from me, but here I am, in June, feeling the need to catch up on recording some important milestones we've passed this year. 

I'm going to be focusing a lot of attention on Becca in my next few posts.  This year is the year she turned 18.  The year of leaving childhood behind and officially becoming an adult.  The year of graduating from high school, leaving home and venturing out into new territory.  The year of achieving goals that, up until now, she's been able to put off.  

I feel like most teens look forward to this time.  Becca has dreaded it.  I mean, it makes sense.  When you deal with anxiety, more freedom and responsibility just seems to bring bigger chances of screwing up.  Having experienced early adulthood myself though, I know how much fun it is, and how much learning, growth and fulfillment comes from those life experiences.  I wanted her to be excited about turning 18, and I wanted to build her confidence in her ability to navigate adulthood.  To that end, our gifts to her included a list of  18 Things That You Can Do Now That You're 18, with gifts to go along with each one, and and a book of advice for adulthood from some significant adults in her life.

18 Things That You Can Do Now That You're 18!

#1 - Vote

#2 - Buy a lottery ticket

#3 - Get a body piercing or tattoo without parental consent

#4 - Book a hotel room

#5 - Be called for jury duty

#6 - Go to the ER alone

#7 - Give blood

#8 - Apply for credit cards and open a bank account

#9 - Buy fireworks

#10 - Get married

#11 - Go skydiving

#12 - Get a 10-year passport

#13 - Get a Costco or Sam's Club card and buy in bulk

#14 - Sign a contract

#15 - Be the only one home when a service or repair person needs to enter the home

#16 - Work full time (I had a hard time coming up with something for this, so I regifted her a Hydroflask thermos that she already owned to represent taking your lunch to work)

#17 - Buy a car

#18 - Join the military

I'm not sure that this list was very reassuring to her.  It may have just scared her more. But I had fun putting it together and it was a fun way to show her the world of possibilities that is open to her now that she's an adult.

Becca is fortunate to have many exemplary adults in her life who love her: grandparents, aunts and uncles, teachers, church youth leaders, friends who have reached adulthood before her, etc.   I was able to collect letters of encouragement and advice from 18 special adults in Becca's life and compiled them in a book.  My hope is that it will be a guide and comfort for her over these next few years as she learns to embrace being an adult.  

It's hard for me to believe that she's already been 18 for almost half a year!  She has certainly had her fair share of struggles of late (a topic for a different post), but in spite of those struggles, I've watched her challenge her fears and take on adulthood like a beast.  I can't wait to see what her future holds!