Guess The Holidays Are Really Over...with a Bang!

Taking Massey back to school tomorrow. Guess the holidays are really over now.

It's been nice having her around these past few weeks and believe it or not has been pretty darn helpful around here.

She's helped around the kitchen and done a great job with the piles of laundry we somehow amass. We got to take a girls trip to my brother's house in Orlando for Christmas and spent almost four days there. Then  got to have another Christmas here at the house with Tim, all three of the kids, TJ's fiancee and her four year old daughter. Even one of the Lost Boys came.

I really downsized my gift buying this year and didn't seem to bother anyone. I think they all know what they mean to me and you can't put a price tag on that kind of love. It would be way too expensive!

I spent the least on Massey. Tim got her a nice rain jacket, vest and a couple of other small things and I got her cracked iPhone screen fixed a few weeks ago.

Well over a year her little Ford Focus bit the dust in a big way and was sold for scrap. We had been using it here at the house while she was at school and the engine blew one day when I was attempting to drive it.

Oops...my bad.

She took the news a lot better than I thought she would.

Since I've been at my new job it's been really awesome to be making the money I am. We've gotten almost everything caught up and current. We now have medical, vision and dental insurance. We have disability insurance and even all have a life insurance policy.

I've been stashing cash away every chance I got in a little sugar bowl which used to belong to my own momma.

Sometimes I have to borrow a little from it but always put in more than I take out.

One of the Sous chefs at work mentioned a while back that he had an older Nissan Maxima for sale.

I talked with Tim and we decided to take my sugar bowl money and some money I still had saved in my bank account (which hasn't been in the negative in over eight months) and buy the car for Massey.

Yes I spoil Massey. Everybody knows it and most of them point it out.

Here's my insane way of thinking and reasoning.

When the financial bottom fell out it hit us fast and hard.  Massey was in high school and probably just felt embarrassed. I don't blame her, Believe it or not I was sixteen one time decades ago and know what it's like to be a teen age girl.

Thanks to many hours volunteered at ball games, events and through the kindness of other guard parents she got to participate in activities and feel she was a part of the crowd. And it was a good crowd.

 This was the team reciting The Lord's Prayer before a competition.

This was the team after nailing the competition.

I worked every summer band camp and actually enjoyed it. I made new friends and realized what terrific people they were.

I'll be honest, we were pretty bad off financially but this group of people never mentioned it and always made sure we felt like an equal part of the team.

She got serious busy about school her junior year and graduated with honors the next. Another parent even donated the money for her honor chords and tassel.

She's well through her sophomore year at Georgia State University. She's had a job on campus the entire time and rarely asks for anything. She worked last summer as a counselor at Girl Scout camp.

She has kept her grades up and seems to be blossoming into exactly the young lady I dreamed she would be almost twenty years ago as I held her tiny self in the NICU at the hospital.

You know what?

She deserves this car.

Lucky for me my other two are boys and never ask for or want one thing. They're men. They don't need or ask for a stinkin' thing. They got this. (mental eye roll)

It's a used car. It's a really older model car, but it's a car!

I've told her it comes with stipulations. If our luck goes south again and one of our cars break down, hers will be our spare. She'll have to buy the gas for it but at least she'll have a ride to come home in and tool around in while she's here.

It'll be tight for a week or two after this but in my mind is worth it.

It feels good to feel secure enough to make this purchase for her.

Merry Christmas in January, Massey!

I love your curly hair which you detest.

You have always been a princess to me.

Go gettum kid. Make your mark on this world and make a difference.

I know you will.

You will always be my bestie...fo shizzle.

It's wonderful to be able to breathe again financially and mentally.

I have a wonderful family, network of friends and am truly a blessed person.

I got this!

Till next time...COTTON