Powerfully creative---Tori

Tori starts a new job this week.

Before we left for the reunion in Florida, we were talking about how she'd like to rearrange her schedule. She wanted to cut back on her hours at Premier Windows a bit, and let go of the call center support work so that she could pick up more hours at the restaurant during their busy summer months, and get weekends freed up so she could work at the Renaissance Festival. . .but that all meant getting out of the job for which she was originally hired at Premier!

When she got back to work upon our return, they had hired a new employee "downstairs", and he was going to bump Tori to fourth in line for the computer-making it almost impossible for her to do the call center support work she didn't like anyway. They didn't want to lose her, since she is such a marvelous worker, and were a bit nervous about how she'd react. Not only did she get to adjust her schedule to exactly what she'd told me she wanted, Tori got to make it look like she was doing them a favor by not being upset at the change!

The Renn Fest starts next weekend, and runs through late October- eight (?) weekends of dress-up fun!

Have I mentioned how much I appreciate and admire the way Tori is growing up and learning to be responsible? Even more, I'm impressed at how well she is doing figuring out who she is and what matters to her, and living her life by those values. Not knowing exactly what she wants to do/be/study can be a disconcerting space to be in. I think it's easier to take on external standards, and follow the culturally-acceptable path (ie. go to college), than it is to step off that path and admit that there's nothing drawing her into the classroom at this point. Yes, she enjoys learning, and she's good at the academic game, but she's also good at other things. Traveling is definitely much easier before kids and mortgage complicate the scheduling and financial picture.

I appreciate Tori's work ethic. Everywhere she has worked, the supervisors are ready to take on her siblings-just because they're her sibs. One of the restaurant managers she worked for last year is eagerly looking forward to the twins turning 16 so he can hire them! He even wanted Liza for just the few weeks that she's here before she heads out to Washington, but logistics intervened.

The balance in Tori's life is pretty tilted toward work these days, but she's also doing well maintaining relationships and fitting in some fun. Keep up the good work, Tori, that's a lifelong challenge! I'm glad I get to be your mom!

And, oh yeah, the picture . . . a friend did Tori's hair in braids, and my wonderful daughter let mommy play- and I got to weave the braids into a visor. (Something I always wanted to do to mine when my hair was long, but it's hard to do to your own hair!) We laughed and joked while I was weaving-reminiscing about the time we cut iris leaves and wove a basket that fell apart as it dried. Good times, good memories!