My daughter has not been home this week. She has a friend visiting and they’re spending time together.
She texted me yesterday before they came by for a visit. It was nice to see them and be included in her life, but it wasn’t sad to see them leave. We do life together, but we have also acquired our own lives.
Today was yet another milestone.
My daughter and I love these little seasonal cookies made by Pillsbury. Yes, they are pure sugar and yes, they are made by a machine, but we cook and eat real food, so this is our splurge.
As I was pondering my choices for breakfast, I remembered the Easter cookies unopened in the fridge. I took one look at the doggos and said, “We’re having cookies and Chemex.”
I know they’re gross, but we love them.
This was a fine way to begin the day of this emptying nest. Cookies and Chemex.
My daughter was getting ready for school and yelled, “I’m looking in your closet!” I thought she would just borrow a t-shirt. We share those sometimes, but nope. She walked out of my room wearing a top I haven’t even worn yet!
I looked at her with curiosity and asked…
“Is that my new sleeveless mock turtleneck?”
She had chosen a classic Ralph Lauren sweater jacket to keep her arms warm. I’ve had that jacket for years, and it was broken in just right.
As I was cutting the tags off the top, I couldn’t help but grin. How cool is it that my 20 year old daughter asks to wear my clothes? I borrow hers too.
I’m going to modify a quote from a Blog I read this week. “I feel 30 years old with 24 years experience!”
The taste of my coffee wasn’t pleasing, so I made a Chemex. I hadn’t made one in so long, it didn’t drain completely, but this is how I felt regardless.
This morning I recalled teaching my daughter to drive. It was a scary experience. Not teaching her to drive, but that she was learning with my truck!
When it was time for her to learn, it was time for us to move. We were living in the country on 40 acres, and the road to our house was treacherous to say the least. It had sharp curves and made of dirt.
The next house we found had straight highway running to it. The first time she went 65 mph she exclaimed, “This is exhilarating!”
I sat in the passenger seat, drinking in the excitement on her face. You want that look to last, but soon after she learned to drive she began adulting. Then you hope they remember the moments which caused that look.
♥ ♥ ♥
One time we were driving home, and she turned off the main road. It was late in the day and the Texas sky was pink and gold. Her favorite time of day. I didn’t know where she was taking us, as she turned down one road, and then the next.
She parked the truck and stared straight ahead. She had run out of road trying to get close to the sunset.
She said, “I was chasing the sunset.”
We sat in silence watching the sun go down.
Chasing that sunset was exhilarating for her, even though it was out of reach. I was happy she tried without worrying what the end result may be.
As you see in A Doggo’s Life, our doggo’s are sharing a dog bed. I wanted our new puppo to have her own bed, so went in search of the perfect dog bed. In my mind I pictured exactly what it should look like, but 4 stores later didn’t result in that bed.
That was my mind, but what did my heart say?
Step One.
Back before Thanksgiving, my daughter and I were in a store where everything is pretty, but reasonably priced. I saw a rug that made my heart smile. My daughter saw my face light up, but she also knew we were setting aside all extra money for England.
Guess what? She’s in England and I still have money. Glory to God!
Yesterday, I went back to that store see if the rug was still there. It had been months, so what were the odds? Would it be on sale after Christmas?
It was in the rug bin along with one other rug.
It wasn’t on sale, but I had a price in mind that I was willing to pay. I found a sales lady, and inquired about the price of the rug. Full price was too much, but I’d walk out of there with it if she took $50 off.
Step Two.
The sales lady found an online coupon she could apply to meet my price! Then it became confusing.
She asked, “Is that the color you want? We have another one in the back that’s grey.”
The rug standing in the bin is a light color, which I gravitate toward, and it has pale gold shimmers running through it, but my daughter loves grey!
They grey one was equally pretty, and I knew my daughter would love it. What did I do? Like any good Mother, I loaded the grey one in my truck.
Score one for the mind.
Step Three.
I sat in front of the store staring at the rug laying across the backseat. The sales lady told me if it wasn’t right, to bring it back and get the other one, but I wanted to know in my heart what to do.
I found myself walking back into the store swapping the grey for the one I wanted. I followed my heart all the way through. My daughter will be happy.
Looks like we found the perfect dog bed after all.
My daughter is still in England, but will be on her way to Paris to celebrate New Years.
I’m home making changes to the house.
I read a Blog where one Mom has a stack of shower curtains. She changes them out seasonally, which I thought was a sweet idea. My daughter and I don’t have room to store things plus, I love my shower curtain, but could see room for improvement.
Our shower curtain hooks are plastic.
We’ve had them a long time, and they’re beginning to break. I spotted these on Etsy and fell in love.
My daughter’s nickname is “Queen B.’
The choices we make snowball over time.
Three years ago, my daughter would not be in England for three weeks. I wasn’t sure it was possible a year ago, because when she told me her plan, I saw dollar signs floating through the air.
By the grace of God, she’s on a trip of a lifetime.
I could have bought a new shower curtain, but opted for bee rings. It’s the small choices over a period of time that add up to a beautiful life.
