Rite of Passage

Life is marked by various rites of passage.  Births, graduations, marriages, even deaths are momentous when they occur to us or our loved ones.  However, there are other important events that are sprinkled throughout life--first steps, first words, first haircut, first day of school, first school presentation, riding a bike without training wheels, high school, first date, baptism.  These events are big in their own right and as a parent, they mark our children growing up and becoming their own individual.

A couple of weekends ago, Abby went through a rite of passage that many young girls experience.  Although some girls may be too young to remember, other girls wait with anticipation (like I did) until the day she gets her ears pierced!!  Now to some, this is not a big deal at all.  But for our family, it was HUGE!!!

My older sister got her ears pierced when she was 10 years old.  I was only four at the time, but immediately wanted my ears pierced too.  To probably quiet my whining, mom and dad said that I too had to wait until I was ten.  Wow!!  I remember my 10th birthday like it was yesterday.  First, I was turning 10--DOUBLE DIGITS!!  That was major as a child, but I also knew that I would be getting my ears pierced.  On my birthday, mom loaded us kids up in the car and to town we went.  I remember shaking with excitement (and a little fear) as I sat in the chair at Claire's waiting for those two shiny CZs to be in MY ears!!  While squeezing my mom's hand, those two holes were placed in my ears and I had some shiny studs to show off to all my friends and family!!  I was so proud.

Naturally, I assumed that Abby would be 10 when she got her ears pierced.  But she asked earlier, much earlier.  In fact, she first mentioned getting them pierced when she started preschool (probably because her friends had them already done.)  Josh and I pushed it off and said when she turned six, her ears could be pierced.  But I'm a realist and told Abby that it would hurt.  Not forever, but for a few moments, it would hurt.  I compared it to a shot.  Big mistake!!  She immediately decided that piercing her ears was NOT a good idea.  In fact, she decided that she would be ready when she turned 11!!  So her sixth birthday came and went without an ear piercing.

Well, over Christmas break, Abby brought it up again.  We happened to be at the Evansville mall and a teenage girl was getting her ears pierced.  So we watch and it was a great experience.  No tears, no screaming, no gnashing of teeth...at least from the teenager.  But there was a young girl, probably six, that was next in line.  All the preparations were made, the young girl was ready, holding her mom's hand and the gun was placed on the ear lobe.  As soon as that needle pierced that ear, the girl was screaming.  She screamed a LOT!!  She screamed so much that she refused to let them pierce her other ear.  And who was a witness to all of this?  Abby.  Once again, she was deterred and said that 11 sounded good to her.

A couple of weeks ago, we walked into the mall on a Saturday and Abby announced that she wanted to get her ears pierced.  Josh and I were shocked!!  We asked her if she was serious and her immediate reply was yes.  Since she was on the bandwagon, we immediately walked to Claire's.  Fortunately, there were two girls working so both ears could be pierced at the same time.  Well our young lady picked out her earrings, jumped up in the chair, and was ready to go.  The lady piercing her ears was a blessing in disguise.  She was so patient and explained each step so thoroughly and prepared Abby for the entire process.

I was concerned that our dramatic daughter would scream and wail (like when she gets a paper cut!!)  Boy, was I wrong!!  She squeezed her daddy's hands, and her eyes, while those two girls pierced her ears.  Not even a sound came out of her mouth!  When it was over, her eyes watered, but not one tear was shed, by her (I think I cried a little.)  She was so impressive and she has been ever since.  She has to tell me that it is time to clean her ears, not the other way around.

This rite of passage showcases that Abby is no longer a baby (as I perceive her sometimes), but is becoming a young lady.  Time is marching on too quickly for this momma!!  Of course now she is asking how many more weeks until she can have dangle earrings!!

Before...all smiles!!

Just a squeeze of Daddy's hands!!

 Her mixed emotions are all over her face.  There are tears in her eyes but a smile on her face.

 Still smiling!!

 She loves her Hello Kitty earrings!!

Sunday morning, she said she needed to wear a headband to church so everyone could see her ears!!  I frequently see her tucking her hair behind her ear so everyone will notice!!  Such a funny girl.

Rachel