When Did I Become The Adult?
No. 75 - and what are we doing about our 11 lines, crepey eyelids, and crows feet?
This Week’s Musing…
My husband and I attended a concert a few weekends ago. It was a typical summer concert at an outdoor amphitheater featuring one of my favorite bands. As we sat on the grass enjoying the opening act, I looked around and thought, “Wow, everyone looks so much younger than us.” It didn’t help that we spotted our 16-year-old nephew in the crowd. When did he get old enough to attend a concert with his friends on a Friday night?
The realization really hit me when the band thanked their fans for a decade of success and played one of their earlier songs—the one that made me fall in love with them. I noticed that no one in the audience knew the lyrics. Am I really that old? I wondered.
And this realization that I’m getting older didn’t stop there.
This morning, I noticed my skin looked unusually puffy, even though I hadn’t had a single drink the night before. The 11 lines on my forehead seemed more pronounced, and my eyelids were starting to look the slightest bit crepey.
My girlfriend went to see the Backstreet Boys in Las Vegas this weekend, which brought back a flood of memories from my middle school days when I had posters all over my walls. I was shocked when she mentioned that Brian Littrell is now 50. When did that happen?
My husband and I recently finished watching a new show on FX called "Adults." I’d describe it as the equivalent of "New Girl," but with Gen Z characters. I enjoyed the show but found myself feeling nostalgic because I really loved my post-college years.
Don’t get me wrong; I absolutely love my life right now. I’m incredibly thankful for my kids, my husband, and our family. However, all of a sudden, I’ve become the adult in the room.
Every decision I make has larger implications that affect not only me but also my husband and children. Major things, like moving houses or changing jobs, require careful consideration, but even small choices, like how to spend my evenings or weekends, require extra planning.
A few weekends ago, we stayed out a little too late and had one too many drinks, and getting through the next day of parenting was nowhere near as easy as it used to be when I could just order takeout and binge-watch "The Office" all day after a night out.
Now I have to make decisions about things like healthcare plans and retirement accounts, as well as ensuring we have a will in place. Every day this week has been filled with sorting through piles of mail, dealing with an insurance claim, and confirming doctors' appointments for various family members.
My kids ask me big, important questions daily, and I often look around, wondering, “Where’s the adult who’s going to answer this for them?”
The strange part of all of this is that I still feel like a kid myself. I know 36 isn’t old by any means, but I also recognize that I’m much more “middle-aged” than a “young professional” these days.
I’m mentoring a summer intern at work, which is a stark reminder that it’s my turn to be the adult in the room—to help guide and influence this next generation coming up behind me, not just at home, but in various aspects of life.
I wonder if life will always feel this way. Will I continue to grow older with each season of life while feeling the same inside? Wondering who stuck me with all of this responsibility? and where are the adults?
It’s a funny thing to be 36 but still feel 26, and I imagine I’ll feel the same way at 46.
Friday Favorites…
👩🏻🍳 I’ve cooked every dinner this week out of this cookbook and it’s all turned out great, with minimal cleanup after! I recommend the Shrimp Scampi, Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms, and the Chicken and Rice.
🔪 The fifth and final season of YOU came out and we’ve been binging it all week. It’s actually been one of my favorite seasons yet, and Penn Badgley is perfect, as always. Anyone else watch it?
🎒 If you’re shopping for back-to-school, both of my boys have these backpacks in the size “mini” and we love them. They’re small enough for them to carry on their own (through all our summer travel) but roomy enough to fit things like snacks, water bottles, and stuffies.
Happy Friday, Friends! I hope you all have a great weekend!
Oh, this hit me in all the tender, funny places. Isn’t it wild how we wake up one day and realize we are the adults now? The ones packing lunches, making dentist appointments, and saying things like “back in my day.” I felt every word of this — the nostalgia, the shift, the beautiful weight of responsibility. Thank you for this! 🤍
I am just turning 37 and I have felt the same way. I feel still really young, but I am realizing just how old I have gotten. I moved states when I was 23, and it now just seems like a lifetime ago. Getting older is wild. And having apps like instagram document photos and remind you of how long ago things were is just a mess with time.