My Daughter the Princess... nope, didn't see that one coming!

I had spent some time hiding out grading papers and was on my way back toward picking Bailey up at the Prom last night when she called me.  "Hey, how is it going?" I answered, moms don't usually get called during the peak of fun.  "When you pick me up, could you bring me some benadryl, I am reacting to some one's perfume.  Oh, and by the way I won Freshman Prom court." 

Nope, didn't see that one coming.  But she has had a group of seniors who have laughed with her and brought her spirits up, gracefully encouraging her from her eighth grade endeavors in the school musical, inviting her onto the upper high school robotics team and looking out for her like a little sister.  They called her their freshman.  Still, voting en mass for her as Freshman Prom Court?  That was pretty sweet.

To know Bailey like we all do, her character shoes for drama are high enough heels to be dangerous territory.  She lasts about five minutes with them on at a dance, opting for her barefoot redneck ways instead.  Last night, she put them back on for a walk to the parking lot, and crashed at the bottom of the stairs before even trying to go up to the parking lot.  Her middle school PE teacher would say that she falls all the time, but carries her own first aid kit, so she can patch herself back up.  The office staff know her well for her coming in to raid her stash of allergy medicines.  After an entire school year of allergy shots, she still lives on benadryl, though the really bad reactions might be a little shorter.  Wish I had some great option for the hives, though.

At home or 4H, she is never to proud to dive in to catch a lose animal, get dirty to patch one up, or sit in a kidding pen all night waiting for babies to be born and bathed.  She will still dig in the dirt with her brother and crawl under a planter with him to help save a lost baby chick.  Heaven help the tarantula that dares to walk up to one of her livestock pens!  And the night after Christmas, when my Remi had to go to the emergency vet, she would not have left my side, holding my hand and supporting me as we both realized how bad it was.

Silly?  Yes.  Crazy?  Definitely.  Crash a good nickname?  Undeniably.  Fierce defender of friends?  Absolutely.  Willing to work whatever hours to make sure the job is done, the friends are cared for and animals have what they need?  You bet.  Princess?  Not typically synonymous.  She might have been raised to be a good southern girl who can bake family recipes, use appropriate language and manners and write a thank you note, but that walking with a book on her head thing never did work.  Does make a fun game in the evening, though. 

But maybe despite the shallowness we attribute to the coming generation, there are still some who see the good little things.  I know I have watched them reach out to her and look after the huggy little one who doesn't always fit in with her peers.  And I know what it means to her, and to me.  Nice job, kids.  For all the times I see things that scare me about the world, I see kids like the ones who helped Wyatt at fair, and look after Bailey and more who keep a flame in that candle of hope. And boy did she have a good time at that Prom, no date needed.  She will be remembering the great times of this year right alongside the hard ones.  Like Ms V told me last night, it is a cute little crown, looks good on her even if she can't keep it straight.  Love to all.