For M Kat With Love

Tonight was one of those kid free Friday nights that I get every other weekend. Because of the week I have had, I welcomed an evening of taking care of only myself. Many weekends I hate the fact that I have to "share" my children, however, I try to enjoy the time I have alone and right now, I need some down time. The problem is that I have to weigh the alone time with keeping myself busy in order to keep the sadness and feelings of depression at bay.

Tonight was one of those nights where I didn't really want to do anything but I knew it would be a bad decision to sit home alone. I must admit the thoughts of coming coming home and snuggling in front of the tv to watch Season 1 of The Sopranos seemed inviting, as I have already watched Episodes 1,2 and 3 and seem to be hooked. I had a few options and decided that I really wanted to watch our high school football team play ball. The problem was that I didn't want to walk into the game alone. I talked one of my very best friends into going to the game with me tonight. Her sweet daughter, whom I will call M Kat, accompanied us.

On our way to the game, M Kat's mom and I were discussing my blog and M Kat informed me that she wanted a post written for her. I told her I would see what I could come up with but I felt like my youngest daughter, Kensley, would probably get the next post, since Emily had already had one dedicated to her. Of course, M Kat's request stayed in my mind and I admit that I thought about "her" post the whole evening we were together. That's how I write --- an idea comes along and then my brain begins formulating everything that happens or has happened in the past into a story. (Now if I could come up with a major plot which would formulate itself into a novel, I would be one happy girl! Believe me, I've tried, and I can't do it.)

I watched and listened to everything M Kat did and said while we were together tonight. I made a comment to her mom when she came walking across the wet dewy grass in her sock feet and laughed when I watched her struggle to get her shoes back on. I watched her walk around with her friends and play touch football with a co-ed group of middle schoolers. I complimented the adorable t-shirt she wore supporting her school and watched her reaction when I hid something from her that she wanted to see.

M Kat is one of the smartest young girls that I know. She is wise beyond her years and very inquisitive. M Kat recently allowed me to borrow the entire Twilight series of novels. Granted, she let me know up front that she had spent her "own" money on the series and wanted to receive them back in the same condition she lent them to me. As I read each book, being extremely cautious not to bend the pages or spill my drink on them, I kept thinking how intelligent she must be to have been able to follow them at such a young age. In addition to some difficult words in the books, the plot spins off into different directions. I sometimes had to stop reading and think about what was actually going on, so I was very impressed that she read, understood and thoroughly enjoyed the entire series. Each novel, I might add, is very thick and they are not the most easy reads!

M Kat informed her mother and I on our way to the game that she intended to be picky when it came to boys. I told her that is the way she needs to be! I shared with her my motto, "Better than nothing is not good enough!" She agreed with me and said she would not "settle"! Thatta girl M Kat!! Just please keep that in mind when your hormones kick in :-) There is no doubt in my mind that this young lady will grow into a very strong woman, similar to her own mother. She is going to let you know where she stands on an issue, will not let anyone walk over her or take advantage of her, and will fiercely protect the things that are important to her. She will also be kind, compassionate and willing to share. She already exhibits these characteristics and I feel sure, that with the excellent parenting skills of her wonderful mom and dad, she will continue down a path of success!

M Kat helps keep me in check too. She likes to play with my iPhone and check out all the latest games I have downloaded. I enjoy sharing my latest fun finds with her. She is my iTunes police and recently let her mother know that I have lots of "inappropriate" songs with bad lyrics. Now, for the record, not all of my music is bad - I have 749 songs on my iPod - and I have warned her not to listen to a song until she gets the okay from me! I do enjoy some rap, pop and alternative artists who use some r-rated lyrics. It's my iPhone, I'm 39 years old, and I can download what I want to! Right M Kat????

I was trying to think of some things that M Kat and I have in common and I came up with a list.

• we both like my iPhone
• we both like cheerleading
• we both like to read a lot
• we both like to know the latest gossip
• neither of us like to clean (I told her when I walked into her house tonight that her Mom's house always makes me sick 'cause it's so clean and that you would NEVER see my house as clean as her's and she said, "you will never see mine this clean either!" haha)

and most importantly

• neither of us will settle on just any guy!!
  

Better than nothing is not good enough for Mary Kat OR me :-)

I love you Mary Katherine! Thanks for helping fill that empty spot when my girls aren't around.