Relief is a Good Feeling

I think I've finally stopped relentlessly worrying about absolutely everything and sometimes nothing. Tim and I both have had terrific new jobs for well over a year now and all bills are paid on time. Some weeks are tight but I'm okay with tight. We strived for "just tight" for over five years and feel blessed to be "just tight" but alright!

The airport slowed down for about a month but has really started to pick back up and am trying to make the most of every single shift.

I seem to make a connection with most every table, especially the english speaking ones and sometimes even ones where you have to point or even draw pictures to get the point across. I'm an excellent pointer and pretty good draw(er) so that's okay too. Most shifts I make well over two hundred and lately been closer to and sometimes over three hundred. I have no qualms in saying this job has changed our lives and all for the better. After a really busy night last week I got out a calculator and discovered that night made $81.80 an hour. That's insane money for me and am grateful to have this wonderful opportunity.

Some nights I do just okay and am just as grateful for it. Waiting tables is a crap shoot and nothing is ever guaranteed so when I have an off night it simply serves as a reality check and reminder of just how lucky I usually am.

Massey has started back to college for her third year after transferring to West Georgia and now living at home. She was working four days a week during the summer but dropped to three once classes started back.

We get along really well as work buddies and  know how to switch gears and not be mother/daughter but co workers. She's been working there since May and just last week one of the cooks told me he didn't know Massey was my daughter until someone told him. Trust me, that's a good thing when your kids work where you do.

She's done really well at the restaurant. It's the first "Hard" job she's ever had and has done excellent. Every once in a while the momma in me comes out and tell her something she needs to do or has done wrong but for the most part...she's got this.

She can spot a celebrity a mile away.

Ang Lee, award winning director of Life of Pi and Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon was eating with his film crew one night and she spotted him immediately. He just looked like a middle aged Asian dude to me but she knew exactly who it was and he was very nice, taking this picture with her and making her night!

Then she spotted Chris Evans before he even came in the door to the restaurant. To me, he was just a really nice looking young man. I've never seen an Avengers movie but she quickly informed me he was Captain America and once again the guy was happy to pose for a pic with my girl.

Just this past weekend I asked her to go across the hall to our supply cooler and get some linens. It's behind the Starbucks directly behind our restaurant and she came bouncing back five minutes later with the linen and a selfie she had taken with Sam Smith when she spotted him at Starbucks. He even asked if she minded him taking it?

I'm more the type who recognizes the old farts like me.

When I waited on Charlie Gibson I knew he was somebody but couldn't quite put my finger on it. When I took his credit card to run the payment it was like "Bingo!" in my head. He was with his wife on the way to Amsterdam and was an extremely nice man. When I took the card back admitted I couldn't quite put my finger on it but knew he looked familiar.

He said "Don't worry, I get that a lot. Some people ask if I was a network news anchor and some people ask if I bagged groceries at the A&P."

When I waited on Trent Lott and his wife, knew he was a political big wig but couldn't put a name to his face either until I saw his credit card too. When I took the bill back for his signature, thanked them both and told him to "Keep'em honest in Washington!" He smiled and said "I'm not a magician."

Touche'.

I've waited on Joe Biden's granddaughter when she was going overseas with a friend and her family. All the Secret Service guys kind of gave that one away but both attended the same school where the President's daughters go. I thought that was really cool, but what do I know? I'm an old fart...just like the ones I do recognize.


Massey made enough money over the summer to pay her fall tuition and buy books. I'm proud of her. She saw her father and me struggle for over five years and knows first hand how quickly life can (and did) change on a dime.

She has the opportunity to meet people from all walks of life and every corner of the planet, and has. It's a great job for a college kid, and sure someone will come in one day who can help her attain her goals...and will. She wants to work with the military, soldiers suffering from PTSD and ones returning to civilian life. She is going to start volunteering at the USO in the airport one day a week.

Lucky for me, today was National Daughters Day and feel okay bragging about my girl a bit.

It's not always roses, sometimes you have to be the parent and isn't an easy pill for a kid to swallow but I've been blessed. My girl genuinely loves me, and I her.

We've been through a lot together. She almost killed me twenty years ago coming three months early and weighing barely four pounds.

She grew up quick, that's for sure.

I'm really really lucky. My daughter is twenty years old and still doesn't mind hanging with momma.

She keeps me young and in the loop. I try and keep her grounded.

I've thought about it a lot. How many women are lucky enough to land a life saving job at the age of almost fifty five, be able to work with (and enjoy) the company of their twenty year old  daughter and her seem to enjoy your company too?

God had a plan...and it worked. He tested me, he tested my family. We never gave up and sometimes laughed at the most ridiculous misfortunes and even at the lowest points. It didn't pay the bills but helped get us through!

My little beauty didn't say much of anything for four years but hasn't quit talking since.

Yep! She's my girl.

We gave her the best life we could and was great for almost fourteen years. She saw us struggle for over five and never (rarely) complained.

She saw us stumble and scramble and witnessed us survive.

This is my absolute favorite picture of Massey. I remember when the pics came in at her day care. Her teacher said before handing me the photos "Just want you to know, she's not really smiling in them."

No she wasn't... but she was thinking.

My girl is really going to fly and feel pretty secure in saying you can bet on it.

Do you know how awesome it feels to be lucky enough to raise and still have your best friend?

I count my blessings every day and every day they continue to grow, all three of them.

Til next time...COTTON