Thumbs Up

Last night, I had a date with my daughters and my partner. We went to Black Eyed Susan's Acoustic Cafe and the folk singer dedicated a song to my daughters. The Wheels on the Bus. Isabella put a five in his tip jar. They were so beautiful and well behaved, experiencing a real cheers with their "real wine glasses" and tasting spinach and artichoke dip for the first time. Such little ladies, the owner complimented them on their fine manners as we paid the check and prepared to leave. He said that he had never seen such well mannered kids and that it must be hard to sit for so long. It was; I had to take Sage for a little stroll when she began to feel too confined. It really was a wonderful time. I love these teaching moments with my daughters. I remind them that someday they will be on their own, dressing and putting on perfume, being escorted by their dates and choosing wines. Watching them grow and change is an honor and it is all mine.
   On the way home, we stopped at the mini mart so that I could buy milk. Real life. As I opened the door,
the perfect pair of Aviator sunglasses caught my eye. I love Laura in big shiny state trooper sunglasses and the kids broke her pair. I grabbed them and continued to the dairy section without breaking stride.
   As I put them on the counter and opened my bag to pay, the cashier looked at me and smiled.
   "Ma'am", he said, "I just want to say that it was so cool the way you just walked in and grabbed those sunglasses like you knew exactly what you wanted. You didn't even stop to think, it's like you had seen them before and today was the day."
   I grinned and blushed. It was a bit silly to hear myself called ma'am and cool in the same sentence.
   "I needed a pair and there they were. That's all that was." I said.
   "Well, that was pretty awesome." he nodded and handed them to me with the receipt.
   I was still grinning when I got into my big, shiny "cool" Dodge Ram a few minutes later.
   That guy had no idea who he was talking to or that I had to little girls whining and exhausted in the truck. He did not know that normally I go months without being told I am awesome. Months? Possibly years. He just became my new best friend.