Hero's, Fairy Tales, and Another Year Older

One fall day eleven years ago Courtney jumped off the school bus eager to share every detail of her first kindergarten field trip with me.  They'd gone to the pumpkin patch that day.  She told about the tiny horse in the petting zoo, the baby goats, and the tractor ride out to the patch. She told me the heart wrenching story of one little boy who tripped off the bottom step of the school bus on his way out.  She said he fell flat on his face and that everyone in the class laughed at the poor little boy.  Everyone that is except Courtney.  Courtney my concerned child, the one who can't pass a kitten without holding it, a baby without patting it, an elderly person without tender thoughts jumped down from the school bus and helped the boy to his feet. 

It didn't occur to me to question her story, it seemed very like her to do such a thing, until two days later when I mentioned the event to her Kindergarten teacher.  Her teacher said that no such thing had happened, that their field trip had been accident and incident free.  Later when I questioned Courtney about it she eventually owned to the truth. 

I had a good chuckle at the imagination of my second oldest and learned a little something about her too.  I learned that much like me at that age, Courtney is the hero in her own fairy tale.  All good things come to her because she imagines, dreams and wishes it so.  She sees the world through rose colored glasses, all being lovely and acceptable in her eyes. 

A few weeks ago while pushing a two hundred (at least) pound shopping cart at Costco, Courtney leaned over and said "Mom, let me push it, it's getting too heavy for you." I gratefully relinquished the cart and finished the shopping.  

Thinking back on the two incidents, the story about the boy and the shopping cart, I realized that  Courtney's hallmark concern makes it hard for her to walk away from a need, and while she has always been the hero in her own story, she is quickly becoming a hero in mine!

Thank  you for all that you do my sweet Courtney.  I love you!!

Happy Sweet 16!!