Freshman Year Done!

Tim just hauled Massey back to school for her last week as a freshman in college. I'm not sure how it flew by so rapidly but pretty sure it did for her as well.


This is how she looked the first time I met her. Wires, tubes and monitors.

She scared me to death coming into the world months early but was one resilient baby.

She ultimately turned out to be an equally resilient young lady.

Unfortunately all my kids were old enough to realize what was going on when our lives took a turn for the worse.

It's been a struggle, no doubt but been the card's we were dealt.

My boys have never complained, not that Massey has either but men seem to hide emotions much better than women. I suppose it's a built in (male) coping mechanism.

Fortunately (very fortunately) my girl and I have always remained close.


So this next weekend she comes home for the summer after completing her freshman year in college.

I saw this picture she had posted, before attending her hall banquet and didn't quite know what to think?

Is this the same little girl who looked like this just a few weeks ago in my mind?

The thing about having a girl is you are raising your best friend if you do it right.

 Raising boys is completely different. They will always love you but not necessarily need to be your "Bestie."

Last year this time, Massey walked across that stage and entered the real world.

High school is fun...but simply a tiny blip on the huge screen of your life.

College is where you either make your mark or miss it.

She is blessed with having a fantastic room mate who's family loves her like one of their own.

We're the Clampetts and they are the Drysdales. (without the attitude) They are by no way millionaires but a secure and financially stable family. Once again, we are blessed.

They have taken my daughter under their wing and thanks to them has had every comfort of home in her dorm room.

Life is a strange and winding path with so many turns it could make your head spin, and often has.

I tend to look at it this way:

We're not doing well financially but are blessed and loved.

What more could a person ask for?

Massey seems to have hit her stride. She has determination and that's all it takes.

Webster's define determination as  " A fixed movement or tendency toward an object or end."

She has worked her way through her freshman year with a job in the mail room earning her own money and even loaned me a couple of bucks from time to time. She has a job lined up this summer as a counselor at camp for the months of June and July.

I have no doubt or qualms about how far she will go in life and most probably exceed her wildest dreams, enjoying it every minute of the way!

As the brilliant Dr. Seuss said "Kid, you'll move mountains."

Look out world, here comes MASSEY ANN COTTON!

Til next time...COTTON