I am not one of those “I’ll think about that tomorrow” Scarlett O’Hara types. I live in reality, probably too much. Too much thinking about today, and definitely too much thinking about tomorrow…and the next day and the month and the year after that. Especially since this time next year our Coco will drive away to some college. We don’t know which college yet, or how far away it will be, but I know this: however close or far, for this Momma, it will be too far.
That’s why this summer has been so great for me. There she was, looking like the young Mother of these three little tow heads. I see her playing with them, taking their pictures, painting their nails, running them all over town, going to the pottery place, swimming or roller skating. They are crazy about her. And, she gets to come over here any time of the day and drop by for a quick visit with my pretend grandchildren.
Today is her last day with them. Senior year starts tomorrow. They were just here, and I said to them, “Ya’ll have had a really fun summer, huh?” Three pig-tailed heads nod in unison. “I’m really glad Coco got to be your nanny this summer. Ya know why?” I ask and the oldest one pipes up: “’Cause she gets $400.00 a week?”( HAHAHA. Well, besides THAT. ) I laughed and said, “No, it’s 'cause I get to watch Coco from my window.” They all tilted their heads and smiled and I smiled back… then Coco gave me “the look” and ushered them out the door as if to say: enough of the sappy sentimentality, already!
Today probably marks the last day that Coco will be “living” across the street from me. I remember when she was seven I asked her if she would call me every day when she grew up, and she quickly replied, “Call you? I’ll just come over, 'cause I’m gonna live next door!” And I said…. “promise?”
That was ten very short years ago. They flew by in ways I never dreamed they could. The difference between a seven year old and a seventeen year old cannot just be ten years!! It’s impossible. And although I am basically retarded in basic math, I still come up with ten when I subtract 7 from 17.
So today I kick down my fears and draw on my Faith to face the next ten years. Ten years that will most likely bring a college graduation, a wedding and possibly a grandbaby.
Since it is impossible to freeze her at age seven, or even seventeen, I give a long nostalgic sigh and a big gulp, and have no choice but to say, Bring it on!
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