I Guess She Really HAS Been Paying Attention...

So tomorrow night is the big "Prom" at my daughter's high school.  I wouldn't know what a big deal it is...I never went to a prom. I was even skinnier than I am now when I was in high school,  unfortunately had almost the same hair cut and my big mouth was just as loud as it is now.

 Looking back I realize  why I was never invited to Prom,  but I'd rather be "Me" than anyone else so I'm okay with it.

We're sending Massey to Prom in the usual Cotton fashion...borrowed dress, borrowed shoes, home mani/ pedi and hairstyling compliments of my nephew's fiancee'.

She's going with fourteen friends on a party bus and they are eating before Prom at the restaurant where I work. She'll get her employee discount and I volunteered to wait on them since all servers despise "Promer's." I won't add gratuity just simply accept what they leave me and tell them to have a wonderful time!!

As usual nothing is simple at our house. Massey has a young friend who has been through the wringer this past year. Her home life fell totally apart and she is somewhat in the same but somewhat totally totally different predicament we found our own selves a few short months ago. With teens it doesn't matter why or how..it just seems "Life sucks." With no possible way to afford prom, Massey took it upon herself to find a way for this young girl to go. She talked to an adviser at school and offered to take money out of her own savings account if they would allow this girl to go. (The dues were due last week)

This wonderful teacher  found a way for this young girl to go for free compliments of an anonymous faculty member. Massey is still going to pay for the girl to ride the bus with them out of her savings account and my big hearted boss is going to buy her dinner at  the restaurant. When Massey called her friend with the news, she cried. (So did I)

The girl is wearing a dress she has worn before that is hanging in her closet and I am going to get both Massey and her a corsage to wear tomorrow. I will funnel the money back into Massey's account myself...she deserves nothing less.

Massey can wear me out and often does, but when she goes out on a limb for someone else she goes ALL out. I know Massey is excited about prom but can you imagine how this other girl feels? She will be on equal ground, she will be "One of the group" and will most probably have more fun than any of the others.

I guess Massey WAS paying attention when so many others helped HER out when she was in this young girl's shoes. Massey's remembered how awkward and horrible it felt to seem like an outcast simply because of money...or lack of it.

Yes going to prom is frivolous to me...but not when you are sixteen and all your BFF's are going.

It's the first time in my 34 years of being a server that I am excited to wait on a table of "Promer's."

I am so proud of my daughter that I could pop. She can be a brat,  she can be a drama queen and has  often times been both. She can also be the best friend a person could ever hope to have. She has a heart  full of love and compassion and a brain above it to boot!

The greatest compliment of all came from one of my co workers  tonight after I told her about what Massey had done.

She simply said "She learned it from her Momma."

You know, I'm a dummy a lot of the time and by no means perfect or even remotely close. But if you can get it right when it really counts...it counts for a LOT!

All the kids are meeting in the local park downtown to take pictures before dinner and be rest assured I will post plenty tomorrow night.

My girl has realized of her own accord how extremely and vitally important it is to "Pay it forward."

Today is one of those days when a Momma realizes..."They really WERE listening to me!"

Til next time... Cloud Nine COTTON