And Just Like That, She's Gone

Believe it or not, this is the view from Massey's new bedroom window. You can see all the way to Sandy Springs.

We left before ten this morning. You couldn't have put one more thing in this truck and is a good thing I'm skinny. The passenger side was packed and couldn't even see out the side window. Thank goodness for side and rear view mirrors!

That is, until we rearranged one last time to fit the one rolling cart left into the front seat with me and knocked off my neighbor's rear view mirror.

Huge sigh.
We all loaded up anyway and headed out. Massey rode with my friend Lisa in her car (also packed) and told them to drive slow and would follow (blindly) behind them into the heart of downtown Atlanta.

I was a nervous wreck the entire drive. I kept trying to look in the rear view mirror (not there anymore) and couldn't see squat out the passenger side. It's the first time I've ever been grateful there was a bog down of traffic on the "Grady Curve" right by the exit for her Loft. It was a lot easier to navigate when going fifteen miles per hour versus sixty.

We parked across the street from her Loft and all got out. I commented "That was a really relaxing drive!" (not)

My dear friend who helped us move in was also decorating Massey's room for her as a present. She had brought some really industrial hand trucks which flipped into a cart and only had to make three trips to the thirteenth floor.

Really? The THIRTEENTH floor?

Only Massey. (smh)

I was blown away by the view from her new room. You could see twenty five miles north of Atlanta from her bedroom window.

We let Massey unload the kitchen things and dragged all the things Lisa had brought with her to decorate into Massey's room, shut the door and got busy. Lisa wanted it to be a surprise.

Massey had told her she wanted a "Travel" theme and "Travel Theme"she got!

The closet didn't have doors so my friend had made a cute cover for it with sewn in pockets for extra storage.

She had also bought Massey a Duvet and made pillows for her bed with the same theme.

She had a world map we hung on the wall beside her bed. Of course Massey wanted the bed lofted to have space to push her dresser under it and only took us forty five minutes to comply...but did it!

I was already sweating like a 400 pound man when noticed her air vent was closed. We opened it but were beginning to both stink. My friend went over to see if the huge window would open while I had my back to her piddling around with something when someone shot off a twelve gauge shotgun in the room.

I clutched my chest like Fred Sanford used to and turned around to see my friend looking stunned. She had just turned a lock on the top of a window when the entire top pane slid all the way down behind the bottom one. Neither one of us could believe it didn't shatter into a million pieces. We tried to pull it back up but wouldn't budge.

I cracked the door open and hollered out to Massey to call maintenance.

I loved the world map on the wall and the piece she brought for over the door.

The idea of retro suitcases for a side table was fantastic!

The place used to be a parking garage for Grady Hospital before being turned into Lofts and had lots of exposed concrete which gave it just the right touch!

She put up a black board on one of the concrete walls, added an old window frame with knobs and wire mesh on it for hanging jewelry and put a cork board beneath it.

Too cute!

I loved the arrangement of various frames, especially the old wooden one with Massey's initials in it. The top left one reads: "Be Strong and courageous , for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

 This is an old box made to dispense ribbons. We cut a hole in the side and ran a power strip cord through it  so Massey could plug in her devices to charge without having to see an ugly power strip on her desk! (Once again, Lisa's idea)

She also brought not only two rugs for Massey's room but one for their little living/dining room.

How cute is that?!

So I can glue my neighbor's rear view mirror back on when I get back home, and we didn't break the probably three thousand dollar window pane and she's all moved in to boot! We'll call this day a major success.

We all went to The Vortex for a burger after all our work and then my friend left for home. What she did for Massey was incredible. Once again shows you how wonderful it is to be loved.

I took Massey to Publix and she picked up a few groceries. We got back and the window still wasn't fixed. I put on my "momma" voice and called the front desk again saying I didn't feel comfortable leaving my daughter without her window being shut. Not ten minutes later we heard a knock at her door.

I had to help him, I bet that window weighs two hundred pounds but he got it back up and locked.

Then it was time to go.

One last selfie in front of her huge picture window overlooking the biggest city in the south and it was time to go.

I mean talk about a place with a view!

We hugged and kissed, she thanked me for everything and suddenly it hit me.

She's gone!

She may come home for holidays or a visit but has tasted the real world, knows what possibilities are out there if you get a good education and is determined to do just that.

Good for her!

I am thrilled for her, but as she turned that lock after shutting the door as I left realized that was no little girl I just left but a smart, driven young woman who was chomping at the bit to take life by the horns and go as far as life could take her.

Good thing I was alone in the elevator because I cried the entire thirteen floors back to the lobby.

That's her bedroom on the second floor from the top, far right.

As I walked by the desk in the lobby on the way out simply said "Take care of my girl."

Out of all the things I've done in my life, some good and some not too good... my three kids are absolutely my greatest accomplishment.

They have worn me out at times but wouldn't take anything back or change anything which has happened.

They will be my legacy long after I'm gone.

The world should send me a Thank You note.

I've raised three incredible kids and know all will make a huge impact in whatever path they choose to follow.

Til next time...COTTON