More Rambling

Did you ever live vicariously through someone else? I do. My sixteen year old daughter. I try not to do it in an unhealthy way. I am determined that she will not make the same mistakes that I did. She has already surpassed my expectations. She has not dropped out of school (Which I did at 15). She is not pregnant. (Again, I was at 15). She has a car and a job. I worked some when I was her age. I didn't have a car. My mother could not afford to get me car, not with five children to support by herself, plus helping me with Melissa. When I was able to work, most of my money went to buying diapers and necessities for Melissa. Sometimes I would have to buy things for my family. Sometimes I would even have to feed my brothers and sisters.

So to watch Melissa doing all the right things is really heart warming. She has 4.0 GPA. The money that she earns from her job is HERS. I do require her to put gas in her car and pay for her own oil changes. She got her first paycheck from said job yesterday. I went with her to cash her check. I cannot begin to describe the joy I felt at her having money in her pocket that did not come out of my wallet. It was thrilling I tell you. Amen and amen I say. She actually gets to enjoy being young. I have been teaching her for years the importance of education. I hate that I so easily let go of that. It's one of the reasons I went back to school. I wanted to set a better example for these girls of mine.

We went out to dinner to celebrate her first paycheck. She even paid. She insisted. She doesn't show much interest in boys(Thank you Jesus!) and she is pretty much a homebody. She doesn't miss curfew and she doesn't back talk. She has spent the last three years helping me get through college by helping out with her sister at home. Without her, none of it would have been possible. I know that. Sometimes I complain about seemingly minor things, but all things considered, my life could be a whole lot worse. It has been worse. Much worse. So, thanks Melissa, you are a really special daughter. I am very proud of you.

Now on to today's activities. I went and worked for a friend for a while this morning to put a little money in my pocket. I took Kering with me since Melissa had to work. My sister called and asked she could pick up Keri and take her out to lunch and to do a little shopping. It was a difficult choice, but I let her go.

My eye was a little red this morning but I didn't take my contacts out. By the time I got home it was burning and watery. I took my contacts out, cleaned the kitchen and decided to lay on the couch for a while. I had just started to doze off when my sister brought Keri home. Rats. Rats, rats, rats...I thought. I tend to be a hyper person, and very seldom feel like taking a nap. This was my chance. Both the kids were gone, I had the house to myself and the phones were not ringing, and I was unusually drowsy. Of course my nap was ruined. But that's OK.

My sister had taken Keri to the craft store and bought her a sewing kit and some fabric remnants. She then gave Keri a few sewing lessons. Keri is obsessed with Webkinz right now. She has a ton of them. I have made a declaration that I WILL NOT spend anymore money on them. If she wants them, she has to buy them herself. So, they set out to make clothes for her Webkinz. It was really sweet of Marlette. Marlette is so wonderful with kids. She loves to teach them and play with them. Unfortunately, she has been unable to get pregnant so far.

I am envious of her ability to sit with Keri and do things like that. I enjoy my children. I enjoy spending time with them. But when it comes to that crafty stuff, I am just clueless. That and I really don't enjoy playing very much. I know, I know, I am probably a horrible parent, but it's the truth. I want this blog to be honest so there you have it. I confess. Slap the cuffs on me and take me away.

I was talking on the phone to a friend the other day(please don't get mad if you read this, you know who you are) and she asked me if I bought Yoplight yogurt. That is how she said it, just like I spelled it. I asked her if she meant Yoplait. So we had a few minute discussion on the proper pronunciation of it. Today while talking to the same friend I said something about the polo vaccination. Yep, not the polio vaccination, the polo vaccination. She proceeded to correct me, and then we laughed hysterically for five minutes. I then concluded that we don't have a whole brain between us and we are doomed. So much for my college education.