A Long Time Ago, In A Galaxy Far Away

Once upon a time, about 14 years ago, I had this tiny little baby. I called her Carolynn, because that was the name of a Cabbage Patch Kid I had and frankly I was hardly more than a kid when I had her. I would do anything for that kid. I walked all over Apple Valley to make sure she got food or whatever she needed. I spent three days in the hospital when she was 15 months old after she had some seizures. We traveled by bus everywhere. There were times when the only furniture I owned was for Carolynn. I slept on the floor.

Over the years things have gotten better. Carolynn got bigger. She went from being my tiny baby to my little Lamb Chop loving toddler, then to my Spice Girl loving little princess. She went off to kindergarten… she made it through elementary school. She is nearly done with junior high. She no longer loves Spice Girls and Lamb Chop. She likes Kingdom Hearts and collectible Barbies. She no longer begs to wear her favorite Barney shirt, but asks for skinny jeans in neon colors. She no longer wants to swing from the tree in my mom’s front yard, she is way too tall. She is taller than me. She wears make-up and bras. She isn’t my little princess any more.

There have been some ups and downs, that is for sure. Now she is home schooled. We have been spending more time together this way.

Today she is 14. She had big plans today. They included school, swim team, breakfast with her mom, getting fried chicken for dinner and eating chocolate cake. It didn’t turn out as planned. She slept late. We went to breakfast. She wanted a breakfast burrito from Jack In The Box. With all the car issues, I hadn’t had a chance to buy her gifts. So we went shopping. She got a Kingdom Hearts game for her new DS. She got a new book. She got a couple of necklaces and a shirt. She got a new boom-box to play her iPod. Later, we will finish schoolwork and art. Swim practice got canceled. There will be fried chicken.

Happy Birthday Carolynn.

May the next 14 years be a million times better than the first.



*********************************

Also, both cars are fixed and my checking account is much emptier… $1600 emptier. EWWWW.