The Count Down

This is one of my all time favorite pics of Massey. My sister took it when Massey was about four.




Hard to believe she is graduating college a week from tomorrow.

                       She's our only daughter and one of the best friends I've ever made or had.

She's exuberant to the point of exhaustion. The kid never quits. She's determined to change the world.

                                 
                                                    My money's on her doing exactly that!



When Tim and I hit the skids after our twenty year run of constant advancement, she was in high school and all too aware of what had happened.

It was a double edged sword and in hindsight, was the greatest lesson we could could ever teach her.

I wouldn't change the past or what happened to us, even if I could. It is what defines us.

Our oldest went to Georgia State University for a year after graduating high school, then took a year off to make some easy money. He never went back, but has succeeded tremendously after a bit of waffling and doing absolutely great financially.

Our younger son and middle child, Zach never even  wanted to go to high school much less college...although is of the smartest (albeit stubborn) people you'll ever meet.

            I say kudos to him for not wasting money on something you have no interest in doing.


He floundered like a fish on the dock for far too long but after learning the hard way, has made it on his own back in Georgia without us for over a year now. He's doing what he wants to do...cook. He's currently the Sous Chef at a new up and coming  high end restaurant back home where we lived.

                                     Three kids, three different stories. Three different lives.
                         
                                       Who can choose a better life for yourself than you?







Massey has always been driven to get a college degree. She quit all extra curricular activities before her junior year in high school and brought her GPA up to Honor Student status.



We supported her every step of the way, even when we couldn't. I'll never forget that day we helped move her into her freshman dorm. Her room mates' parents were there as well, hauling in a flat screen TV, microwave, little fridge, WiFi router and every other single thing a girl could dream of to have in her first dorm room.


I brought a tunnel fan I'd bought at Walmart a couple of years back. I was totally embarrassed. Kudos to her room mates' parents, who acted like I'd brought a Tesla for them both to drive around campus.

 My brother has been more than instrumental for Massey getting her degree. When Tim and I didn't qualify to help her get a loan, he stepped up to the plate...and has again and again for the past few years.

        My family loves me, with all my many faults. Lucky for me, they also love my daughter.



She's finished her degree here in Orlando on line from Georgia and this next Saturday we will have our very first college graduate.

We're all going back (including my brother) to see her walk with her class at graduation. TJ and his lil' fam are coming from North Carolina. Our Lost Boy, Zach will be there too and having a graduation party at my sisters'.



It's been a tough decade for us, but feels so wonderful for us all to  have survived, flourished and carried on.


My girl. Our girl.


She's got a way about her.

"Dear Massey,

This is your Momma writing to you via the web. Your dad and I are both so proud of you, along with your two brothers and countless family members.

If there is anyone in this world destined to make a difference, it's you.
Go kick life out of the park.

Thank you for loving me with all my faults and thank you for being You."

                                                       You'll aways be my bestie.



Til Next Time..COTTON

First Visit

Worked the day shift at  the restaurant today. My sister and her husband came in to eat brunch with her former flight attendant buddy, her husband and one of their daughters. It wasn't balls to  the walls busy  so I got to chat while I waited on  them. It was my sister's friends  anniversary so Cin had me get my boss Len  to make them  his yummy cannoli cake for dessert.  I've told my sister about how when parties order one we take it out and show them the cake, let them take pictures then take it back to the kitchen to cut and serve it. That way, us servers are sure to get a nice fat slice too!

After they finished brunch my sister said "We'll be wanting you  to cut our cake at  the table please." She so funny!! There was plenty left over for us servers, Barb (the owner's wife) and the guests of honor. Len bakes a mean cake.

Massey's roomie's mom brought some blackout curtains and a curtain rod by for the girl's dorm room which gets full sun through a huge window so after work I went for a short visit. The bartender at  work wanted to go with me, got off when I did  and actually HAS a car, unlike me so it worked out great! We zipped up there in no time in her cute little Scion. We parked in the lot next  to  the dorm. It said $6.00 on  the sign and said to put  the money into  a slot on one of  those big self pay boxes. We were in space number 41. I went to put the money in but the numbers started at  101 and went up  to 180. I told her what the heck, we weren't staying long, lets just go get  the girls and take them to dinner.

If I was worried  about  Massey's safety (which I am) fears were quickly put to rest when we stepped into  the lobby of her dorm. I told them I was there to see Massey  Cotton. They told me she had to  come downstairs  to check me in. When Massey  got  there, I had to surrender my drivers license, give them my cell phone number and after scrutinizing my ID had a bracelet taped around my wrist. When you get in the elevator to go up to her floor, Massey has to scan her card before the elevator will work. So I had to wait in line for a minute or two, I'm  down with that...just keep my girl safe. Even when students  come into  the lobby,  they have to stop and show their ID before going to the elevators. I like it!

We went up  to their room and hung the curtains for them. We had the door propped open and  I bet at  least four people stopped by and said hello to the girls, one of them even said "You must be Mrs. Cotton, nice to meet you!"

I'm thinking I like this place!

I was worried about  my friend's car and would hate to drive back  to Newnan with her car booted. I remember a Simpsons episode when Homer's car got booted and he drove home anyway with  the car kerplunking over the boot. Click on the video.

Her car wasn't booted so we all piled in and went to the Varsity for a lube job. We ordered our  food when my friend decided to add a F.O. to her order. That  would be a Frosted Orange, a frozen specialty at  the Varsity. She told the girl  behind the counter "That's $2.39 extra." The girl said "How'd you know that?" My friend  said it was on the menu board behind the  girl's  head, but I chirped right in, pointed at my friend and said "She used to work here." The girl said "For real?" I almost said "Fo shizzle!"

Let me just state here that I have been eating at  the Varsity  since  the sixties and have NEVER seen a white person behind the counter at  the Varsity taking orders. Giving them, maybe. It's mostly African Americans and Indians ( dot not the feather).

We  ate our deliciously disgusting food and had  a great  chat. We  took the girls back  to their dorm taking the scenic route.  Downtown Atlanta is an amazing and beautiful city. I'm elated that Massey has  this opportunity and know she will make the most of it. We illegally parked again in the lot and walked  the girls back  to the front door of the dorm.

Hugs all around, kisses and hugs again.

It's crazy, but I'm okay with this so far. I thought I would be a wreck but feel really good about the security. If they are ever anywhere on campus and feel uneasy they can make a call and be escorted home by  campus police. Buses for  the school run every ten minutes and you can't get on one without scanning  your card.

It takes a little time to get into her dorm to see her but I appreciate the extra effort.

She starts classes tomorrow. I have a good feeling about this. It's not been easy getting her this far but know in my heart she will take and appreciate this opportunity, make us all proud and go far in life.

HUGE shout out to my brother who helped make it all happen. Huge shout out to my sister and bro in law who loaned me a car tonight so I can start my new job  this week. Just a general shout  to everyone who loves and cares for me, I am one extremely stinking lucky person.

Life is good, God is good and I am blessed beyond belief! It's a wonderful  thing to be loved.

Til next  time...COTTON

Are You Kidding Me?

Haven't heard from her in  three months, no visits or any indication she had any plan to ever surface in  my life again,  yet she shows up at midnight knocking at my menopausal door...Aunt Flow.

I'm pretty ticked. She didn't even send her most obvious calling card, a zit. I'm just about ready to sue somebody. I'm definitely cutting THIS aunt out of my will. Here's the thing, I can deal with the night sweats, all it takes is kicking off the covers. Now she wants me to go buy more tampons for her unexpected visit, the selfish little bee-otch. What about men? What do THEY have to deal with in their fifties, besides crazy menopausal women? Case closed.

Guess I don't have much choice but to let her visit, but I'm still ticked. I got off from work after ten and went to the store before heading home dog tired from a huge butt whooping. Could she not let me know she was coming before I checked out at the store? Aunt Flow is totally insensitive and last time I checked wasn't even on our family tree. She's simply a rude intruder.

On a brighter note, Massey's all moved into her dorm room and beginning her college life. I'm going up to visit her tomorrow after work to take her  few more things and treat her and her roomie to a lube job at The Varsity. The Varsity is definitely an Atlanta experience not to be missed.

The best onion rings in the world. Hot dogs are incredible too but my favorite is the chili steak. A little burger with chili. I eat mine with lots of mustard, a little ketchup and tons of raw chopped onion. The fries are pretty stinking good too. It's a greasy dinner but wonderful!

Starting my new job at  the mattress store on Tuesday. With Massey gone it will take my mind off losing yet another kid to the world.

These past few weeks have been nice only having one job but realistically I need the two. My new/old car isn't ready yet so my sister and bro in law are loaning me a car for a week. (Go Family!)

Life keeps rolling along whether you are ready or not.

Going to bed in a tee and undies, feet sticking out for cool air and waiting for Aunt Flow to wreak havoc. Some relatives are just  a pain in the butt.

Til next  time...a hot flashing COTTON. 

That Wasn't So Bad

We moved Massey into her dorm room today. She's going to Georgia State University located smack dab in the middle of downtown Atlanta. It's a huge school surrounded by an even huger city. She's one block up from the Municipal Market and as we passed it, brought back many memories of going there as a little kid with my grandparents. It was Atlanta's original farmer's market and you  can still buy just about anything there. We got there right on  time following in our car behind her room mate's parents. Free parking right next door to the dorm for move in day. I haven't seen free parking on an Atlanta downtown street since...never and I grew up here.

Still didn't make it easy. These two girls brought enough stuff to move to another planet. To top it off their dorm room is on the fifth floor and it was boiling hot outside. At least it wasn't raining and at least they weren't on the top sixth floor.

Massey's room mate's parents (who I could never say enough nice things about) brought a handy little collapsible wagon and we loaded it up and all carried armloads as well. You had to wait in  line for the elevator  and the line was out the door. I'll have to say they handled the crush of kids moving in really well and tried to load the elevators according to what floor all the peeps were going to to save time. I was sweating like an overweight man in thermal underwear and a snow suit.

Tim went back downstairs and rented us a huge push container large enough to move a small pony in and that helped.  Every time we went back to the parking lot we loaded the container and the wagon. Ten loads later we had everything up  to the fifth floor and were  all sweating like Mel Gibson at a temple.

Tim and Allen moved  the beds to make more room for the girls and we started unpacking. Pretty much all we took were Massey's clothes and bedding. She had some nice graduation presents, towels, coffee maker, mugs, and cool things my friends  gave her, rolling cart, desk top accessories, rugs, mattress pad, spare linens, cool Indian looking throw, desk lamp and a few other things. My biggest donation was a new tunnel fan I bought when our A/C was out.

Massey's  room mate brought a cool retro fridge and microwave, flat screen TV, brand new printer/fax/copier and  a wireless router. Her dad sat it all up and programed everything. (you  gotta love a Ga. Tech grad)

Here's the thing that touched me the most. He went on and on about how GREAT it was to have a tunnel fan in  their room and seemed totally sincere. Let me also say he's a pretty massive guy, we wore him out and he stood in front of it multiple times to cool off after helping to lug enough clothing to cover every  naked child in Ethiopia up to the fifth floor of a dorm room.

It's not like this family is rich (although compared to us they are.) They don't flaunt it, they  share it. They don't look down on us, they lift us up. They love my girl and my girl loves them.

Today we were all equals. Today we were parents dropping our girls off at  college and I was blown away by  their generosity, sincerity and humility.

Massey knows how to pick a room mate.

Massey did bring some really cool  circle stickers, some made of chalk board and some made of dry erase to leave notes for each other and looked awesome on their closet doors.

Here's our "Tech" man hooking up the printer, TV and wireless router. Massey did paint the hanging over her room mate's bed with her initials.

We all went downstairs to eat with the girls  to see what  the meal plan offered.

 All kind of vegetables, baked ziti, tofu for the vegans, wild rice and scalloped potatoes.

 Flounder stuffed with crab meat, rolls, cabbage.

 Chicken Marsala.

 A huge salad bar with everything you could ever possibly want on a salad and then some.

 They even had pizza. Four different soups to choose from, rotisserie chicken and even fried green beans.

They had at least twenty different kinds of breakfast cereal to choose from and an omelet bar.

They had frozen yogurt, ice cream, all kind of desserts, smoothies and cappuccinos.

Tim ate like he was at  the Golden Coral after a two month fast  and I can't much blame him.

My fave was the mac& cheese bar...four different types to choose from.

Talk about a dorm room with a view. They are in the nerve center of one of the biggest cities in the United States.

And this is just looking out the window of their dorm room.

The school mascot, Pounce even  came by  to meet them!

It was such a long hot day , had so much  to do that it all just became "Blurred Lines"as Robin Thicke sings.

Tim had to leave on the job search front so I bummed a ride home (getting good at it) with Massey's roomie's parents.

Massey was so happy and I was so happy for her I forgot to get emotional. I simply hugged her and told her I'd see her soon.

The only time I teared up was on my bummed ride home. I told them I wanted them to know how much we appreciated  all they have done for my girl.

And like the wonderful people they are  said they felt blessed Massey had come into their daughter's life.

Icing on the cake, my brother got Massey tickets in a private suite tonight for the Bruno Mars concert at Phillips Arena. I called Massey and said "There will probably be lots of food in the suite so take some zip loc baggies with you."  She totally shot my idea down.

We all told the girls before we left today to take a cab to the arena, a five minute ride from their dorm and take one back home. I'm a little nervous about it but you  know what? They are both eighteen and living in the ATL now.

You  gotta let them grow up sometime.

My back is killing me from the move but am a happy mom. My girl is moving on , spreading her wings and taking flight.

That's why they call them high school GRADUATES.  Graduate is defined by  Webster's as  "To advance to a  new level of skill, achievement, or  activity."

I think she's hit all three today. Can't wait to see what else she can do.

Once again reminded how absolutely lucky we are.

Til next  time...COTTON

Wonderful Rainy Day

Sometimes a rainy day is a wonderful thing...especially when you have the day off. I woke up at four thirty this morning and couldn't get back to sleep so I settled in on the sofa in the living room and watched the early morning news til I dozed back off around seven. I woke up again around eight thirty, saw the forecast for rain all day and decided to stay where I was. Massey  ran a few errands for me early before Tim took  her car for job hunting around eleven. I had gotten all  the yards cut, trimmed and walkways and driveways swept yesterday and made a huge pot of stew that will last for days so I had nothing pressing to do. Well, I COULD have cleaned house but that didn't sound like much fun so I opted for a work free day.

Massey and I watched the boob tube for a couple of hours, me on the couch and her on the chaise both wrapped up with a light blanket and a bowl of popcorn. Around three we decided to make an entire day of it and started watching movies. First up was "The Perks of Being a Wallflower." It's one of Massey's favorites and she wanted me  to watch it with her. It was a great little movie. The rain didn't let up so we didn't get up except for bathroom breaks and more comfort food. We ate watermelon, fruit bars and popcorn with cold "Co-Cola's." (as my momma always called them)

You  would think by  this time I would be getting bed sores, but in fact the longer I stayed horizontal, the better I felt!

Next it was  "Pitch Perfect." Definitely a teen chick flick but since I was spending the day with MY teen, watched it with her. Had some cute parts but would have never bought a ticket to see it.

After that movie, Massey went downstairs to the kitchen and heated us up some leftovers and brought them up  to the living room and we continued our marathon. By  this point it was almost seven at night and next up was "Silver Linings Playbook." I had done absolutely nothing all day but watch  TV and stuff my face...literally. Massey waited on me hand and foot and the only time I got up was to use the rest room or let one of the pups out. It was fabulous and I actually think Massey enjoyed it too.

All I can say about "Silver Linings" is WOW! I knew it won some awards but I never go to the movies. I think the last movie I bought a ticket to was "Slum Dog Millionaire." (which  was well worth the price)

"Silver Linings" is my kind of movie. It moves fast, has great characters and excellent actors portraying them. Lots of "F" bombs but Massey worked with me at  the restaurant for a while so it was nothing new to her. Restaurant workers tend to have foul mouths. When you wait on the public for a living sometimes you just have to walk back into the kitchen and verbally unload.

So our marathon didn't end til  after ten o'clock. It was a really pleasant day. Massey and I haven't spent  that much  time together in quite a while. I seem to work all the time and she is always doing  "Teen" things like I used to in the seemingly pre historic seventies.

Reality is setting in, In eight days we'll be moving her into her dorm room. Who will spend my rainy days off with me? Who will keep me abreast of what peeps are posting on FB  or tweeting? Who will fix me leftovers and bring them to me on  the couch much less watch a chick flick with me? Who's gonna tell me when the outfit I'm wearing isn't cute? Who's going to roll their eyes at me when I get the words to a song wrong? Who's going to be my bestie?

I'll be left here in a house with five males, ten balls and sixteen feet. That's a frightening thought.

I'm excited for Massey to be starting her new adventure but feeling a little lost myself.. At least she'll just be thirty minutes away but that's a long way for somebody to just bring me a "Co-Cola."  So I am enjoying  this last week. I should be working a lot more but have to bum rides to and from work without a vehicle. I started thinking tonight, maybe that's why God hasn't given me wheels yet, so I can enjoy  these last few days with my girl.

Today was an excellent day.  I am off again tomorrow and although I need and  wanted to work I think I need to take advantage of this last week. I need to spend all  the time I can with Massey before she leaves, maybe not for her as much as for me.

We've already decided on tomorrow night's movie, "Good Will Hunting."  I can't believe she hasn't seen it but loves Matt Damon and his buddy Ben Affleck so I'm sure it will be a hit with her. Still have plenty of leftovers and cold "Co-Colas" and popcorn.

When I wake up tomorrow I will only have seven days left with her. I'd better make them all count!

Til next  time...a getting near to being a teary eyed missing a daughter  COTTON