Growing up

E turns 13 in three days and today we had a meeting at church about confirmation classes. Hard to believe she's old enough to be confirmed. It seems like yesterday we were having her baptized. Our church has decided to create a condensed confirmation program. E's will last eight weeks - two-hour classes every Saturday afternoon, a field trip to Trinity United Church of Christ on Chicago's South Side and a field trip for a community service project, possibly working at a homeless shelter. Her confirmation date is set for Sunday, June 6. We're debating what to do to celebrate. It doesn't seem right to have a big family party after only an eight-week program. Might be a small family dinner out somewhere nice, and I'd like to buy her a real gold cross.