Performer X and Teenager A

What a week....X had a shining star moment and A has turned 15!!!
I have been sick with a cold, a chesty one, and I have gurgled my way through many an event this week.
Where to start...Yesterday, our admittedly self involved and most wondrous A turned 15.
Teenager A
Fifteen; one year away from a learners permit. Fifteen; three years away form eighteen. Fifteen; six years away from 21. Wow. I look at her and think that this young woman is the babe that suckled my breast. That bit it too! That this is the toddler who use to dance out in the yard with nothing on but her pink cowboy boots. That this is the little girl who divorced Curtis Dengler on the spot because he cut in front of her in Ian Finneran's birthday cake line. That this is the first grader who came home from school one day and asked never to go back. That this is "The Alternative Classroom" third grader who everyone came to for mediation. That this is the young girl homeschooler who really wasn't interested in much more than playing with Barbies. That this is the same pre-teen who finally was picking up a book and getting involved in it. That this is the same teenager who discovered she has a talent for art. That this is Artie. That this is my Artie. I was afraid that I would give birth to a girl and that we would be as estranged as my mother and myself. Oh, how wrong I was!! A is one of the best friends I have. She is as wondrous and beautiful as her namesake the Aurora Borealis. She is wise, and kind, and thoughtful, and loving, and talented. I am so glad that I gave birth to our girl, Artie. Afraid of what? There was nothing to fear...Artie was here.
We had a nice dinner with her last night. She had her usual dessert of Tri Color Mousse. She got some ear piercing thingies, a Borders Books gift certificate, a gift certificate for glass rods, and other stuff.... good booty. After our guests left we all sat on the couch and watched a movie. I held her hand and gloried in being next to this amazing human who lives in our care.

Performer X
X took up piano lessons last September. It goes well and she likes her teacher, Elizabeth Woodbury, very much. As you all know, we leave for Florida every winter. We left as usual this year. We come back and X resumes her lessons. Before the winter X had written a song. Well to make a long story short and to get to the more exciting details...Elizabeth arranged for X to perform her song at Caffe Lena here in Saratoga Springs.
Elizabeth calls me up a couple of weeks ago and says that X has been on her mind. X is going to miss the recital that would happen in June because we will be at our West Coast home. Elizabeth and X have a great relationship and Elizabeth has been thinking about X's song and how incredible it is. She wants to get X to perform at "Open Mike" at Caffe Lena. The Caffe Lena! Caffe Lena is the oldest Folk Coffee House in the U.S. My daughter X gets to play on the same stage as the likes of Pete Seeger, Arlo Guthrie and hundreds of other legends.
Our little Miss Xan (on piano) performed with Elizabeth (on drums), a guy from Jupiter Circle (on bass), and another guy who works at Caffe Lena (on the percussion eggs). She was introduced as one of Elizabeth's students and that she was soon off to the West Coast. After she was done, the host asked her if she would come back after her West Coast tour. It was great!!! X was great! The song she wrote is amazing!! Elizabeth is a generous and loving human! M shot a video and we bought X a Caffe Lena t-shirt for our little wonder!! X was so vibrant up there playing and singing her own song. Did I mention that she has the voice on an angel?! It was a great evening to be in the company of people being creative.
After all that X says she wants to write more songs. I'm glad to know that she survived her stage fright. May her developing spirit soar!!
Check out these websites: This is the website for the ensemble that Elizabeth started. She is a composer and amazing!!!
This is for Caffe Lena. Check it out and see what's going on there.
Blessings.....V