The Forces that listen and Chels

It was as if some unknown force heard me this morning... I arrived at the house to pick up mail and in a box was a lavender candle I had won and completely forgotten about. The smell when opening the box was overwhelming and just took me to a good place. So I couldn't go to Provence today, Provence came to me.... Steven Mitchell's painting is a good representation of where I felt I must have been when I opened the box. It was a good thing as well, because a few hours before Chelsea had called from University to say her car battery had died and that she was at the Autozone to get a new one but wanted to check in with me before she actually bought one to see what prices should be etc. I thought 2 things: 1) She is so much more mature than I was 18, already being at the shop, shook up a bit, but still had the wherewithal to get a jump from Safety Dept at school and then go to the shop and 2) She called me to get advice... so YAY for being Super Mommy. (I call myself that when my 18 year old still calls me because she misses me or needs me to give a hug etc...) This day found me in shambles, emotions ran high all day long be they good or bad, they were THERE BIG TIME.

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This evening I picked up a roll of film that I found and had dropped off at Walgreens. I haven't used film in so long and had NO IDEA what was going to be on this roll. I was surprised it was a roll from October 2005, a Halloween party that Chelsea's youth group at church had. She dressed up as a housewife, robe curlers in hair and all... it was just so strange to see her so young. It brought back good memories and then made me think of how proud I am of who she has become. I'm such a big glumph when it comes to her. Everything inside me wanted to drive up to Lakeland today and handle the whole battery thing for her, but I knew she could do it and she did. I will just take solace in the knowledge that I prepared her enough to take control of situations like that even if they do surprise her, she still can conquer whatever comes her way. This photo was from before Senior Prom. Got her at Lakeside, before Eric (the boyfriend at the time) and she went to The Tavern for Pre Prom Dinner. Lucky I am, I just need to keep reminding myself.