On the Road Again...Wish I was Going too!

How did this little girl with the massive curly hair and not a care in the world turn into a young lady with so many dreams and so much desire to succeed in what seemed like the blink of an eye?

Kids grow up so quickly...had I known I would have made her start smoking at an early age to stunt her growth!

This weekend is the culmination of her Guard season which has proved them to be stand out champions who make me feel honored to be a "Guard Mom Gone Broke."

They leave at 5AM for Ohio...World Championships. They are going in ranked 8th in the Nation. I hate it that I am not going, but on the flip side it gives me four days to work non stop double shifts and not have to worry about getting her to and from practice.

With this new age of technology I can keep up with her the entire trip via FB, cell phones and texting. It's like I am there with her...just floating along beside her in cyber space!

I have twelve shifts scheduled this week and thinking about cramming in one more. Days off are over rated and by the time she gets back I will have many bills paid and still know what she is doing and how the Guard is doing ...it's a win/win situation.

Her Aunts drove her air mattress up here tonight from Florida where she left it when she stayed with them after her Pensacola competition and flew home. We've even sucked THEM into this crazy Guard world!

It's a world I would have never known about if Massey hadn't filled in as a sub when she was still in middle school. Now she is ending her sophomore year and I am officially a "Guard Mom."

I worked tonight just to make enough to send her with money for food. I made my goal and even got her some snacks to take with her.

My cousin and her husband came into eat with me tonight (Thanks for the phat tip) and we had a good time chatting while they ate. I told them about waiting on a table the other night. It was a party of 8 and three of them were French (ARRGHH...in the waiting world.) Europeans are notoriously horrible tippers. In Europe, servers are paid wages and serving is considered a profession not to mention usually the tip is included in the bill. Here, we make $2.13 a hour and rely totally on tips. I saw this one coming over the back yard fence. I thought I had a pretty good chance...out of the 8 only three were French.

My heart dropped when one of the French women came out into the hallway and said in broken English "When the bill is to be paid, Pierre wants the bill."

I wanted to say "I don't WANT Pierre to pay the bill...isn't there someone named Billy or Pete or maybe Jim that wants to pick up the tab?"

Being the smart server I am I got the tab up as high as I could. Two bottles of wine, appetizers, dinner, dessert and espresso. When they declined my offer of dinner to take home in a box for the next day I dropped the check. $244.oo.

Ole Pierre left me a $21.oo tip! I am thinking about going back to calling French Fries "Freedom Fries."

Such is the life of a server.

You have to give excellent service 100% of the time and hope that at the end of your week it all works out to your advantage.

Tonight I banked (Thanks Cuz and hubby) and Massey has plenty of money to go to Ohio while I stay here and make more!

It may seem that this Guard is a frivolous way to spend my money but I see it differently. Massey is learning a life lesson early...dedication + hard work= success!

They head to Dayton, Ohio on Wednesday for a pretty good chance of bringing home a first place victory. I will be with her every mile of the trip, she will be on my mind every minute of every day. I will log onto FB every morning and follow them via the Internet.

While squeezing in my 12 shifts I am also watching another Guard's dogs because her entire family is going. Picked up their house key tonight and am thinking about taking my three dogs over to their house for the duration of the trip to Ohio. Dogs can bond too can't they?

As crazy as it sounds...I am sad the season is almost over. I have made so many good friends, and so many of them have taken Massey under their wing and done so very much for not only her but for my entire family.

When you have teens...especially in these times, it's all about keeping them busy, keeping them focused and keeping them reaching for higher goals.

The Guard has done just that...not only for Massey but for me as well.

I have included a video of their show this season...it is called "In-Joy" and that is what this past year with the Guard has been to me..."In-Joy"able.

Whatever happens, I am proud of these kids and they should be proud of themselves!

"In-Joy" the video...

Til next time...COTTON