Flying High!

This is the letter of recommendation my sister wrote for Massey when she filed for her college scholarship requests.

"I have never had a request for a letter of recommendation that was easier or more pleasant to write than this one for Massey Cotton, someone very worthy of your help. As a former high school teacher I can say that high school students with Massey's compassion are few and far between. She treats everyone with respect and is friends with students across all social, racial and economic strata. Kids with physical disabilities are just as likely to be smiled upon and treated as special by Massey as are the more popular kids, all of whom are her friends.

While her family has had financial struggles not of their own making the last few years, not only has Massey never complained or felt sorry for herself, but she has grown even closer to her family and is grateful for how hard her parents work. She takes her education seriously and works hard. I hope that she will be successful and make a lot of money doing what she loves. She hopes she can get an education so that she can be of help to others. How many seventeen year olds think like that? Massey is as unique as her name. She was given the maiden name of her grandmother who died at age 48, on August 19, 1977, the day Massey was born, 18 years later.

I thank you for your consideration of this most special girl."

You know, as a parent you sometimes get fed up with  your kids and all  that attitude they seem to get. Then  I stop and think back to the seventies when I was a kid. I was a selfish teen and put my Diddy  through the wringer after my own Momma died when I had just turned seventeen. He stood by me, paid for many of my mistakes and never stopped loving me.

 I was a little perturbed Massey wanted to go on a week long trip to Disney with  a high school friend for Spring Break  two weeks after getting home from New York but sent her on her way with minimal spending money...in other words all the money I had after paying bills. Her park ticket was covered by  the  family who took her but I had to give her something to take.

I was broke and for two days it was like watching paint dry at  the restaurant. Then the dam broke and suddenly I'm not broke!

It  was like people were just handing me their wallets and letting me pick out what I wanted. I got the cell phone bill paid, bought groceries and had money for gas in both cars.

When you've been broke for a few years it's the little things that make you happy.

I worked at  the furniture store yesterday and felt like the biggest loser ever. Not one sale all day. Now I'm reconsidering how smart it was to let Massey go to Disney. Then fifteen minutes before closing a lone guy drives up in a new Mercedes. You know me, I'm a talker. I found out he had recently divorced and the ex  made out a lot better than him, furnishing wise. He was sleeping on a couch. Long story short, he bought over $2200 and coming back in Monday to seal the deal.

I was tired but since the furniture store was closed on  Easter picked up a shift at  the restaurant. Once again, God smiled upon me. It took over seven hours but I  walked out with Ben Franklin and quite a few buddies.

I came home to a silent house. Ham and Charlie were asleep on the couch and Ziggy was in his crate.

I logged onto Facebook and saw Massey had posted photos from Disney. She was having a blast!

It all makes sense now.

It's not her fault...it's ours and lucky for us she doesn't blame us. She's a great girl and yes has her low points...cleaning her room or following through on household chores. She also has her high  points, great GPA, not a party girl but a loving girl. College driven and may end up being my and Tim's way into a really nice assisted living facility one day.

I made enough at work today to take tomorrow off and "That's what I'm talking about!"

Then I think about it being Easter.  We always have Easter at my sister's house. I worked, Tim worked and Zach worked. Massey was flying high on Dumbo.

At least I talked with my sis and at least we all have a  roof over our heads. At least my girl had one final Senior spring fling.

Walter came into eat with me today at the restaurant. This is a photo of him with his sweet wife who recently passed. I say if you make it to ninety two, you've won the battle.  His kids brought him for Easter dinner and we opened a back emergency exit when he left so he wouldn't have to walk so far. As I literally held him up, shuffling along in his bedroom shoes towards the back escape route, he patted my arm and said "Your husband would kill me if he knew I was hanging on to you like this." I told Walter "He'd probably  pay you  to take me with you."

I woke up yesterday, no day off in over a week and then some. I was ill and angry. Tim has been working a lot, but that's what he does...work. I, on the other hand work a lot too but also do laundry, keep  the yards up, sometimes cook and always clean up. I basically screamed at him before I left for work. He had two days off...in a row! I barked out that the laundry needed to be pushed through, house vacuumed and bathrooms cleaned.

When I got home it was like walking into a model home for poor peeps! All the laundry and dishes were  done. The kitchen was mopped. The bathrooms were mopped.

I went into work today and told Barb (my boss) about how much Tim had done. I said the only down side was he still isn't speaking to me after my tirade. She commented "Sounds like a win/ win situation."

So Massey is having a ball, as she should. I have a day off on Monday...as I should.Life's getting better every day.

You just gotta keep on truckin...and I will!

Til next tine COTTON