A Daughters Love…

I had the privilege of spending the weekend alone with my youngest daughter, Amanda. My husband went to see his Mother, which I probably should have done as well, but I don’t get to have many one on one times with my “grown-up kids” so I stayed home.
Amanda arrived Friday evening about 5:30 and we headed to our favorite Japanese restaurant where we enjoyed a leisurely dinner. We then visited Wal-mart where we purchased all the ingredients for the new dishes Amanda wanted to learn to make…corn pudding, meatloaf, Vidalia onion casserole, and resurrection rolls! While we were waiting in the check out line, I called Pizza Inn and ordered a Chocolate Chip pizza for our dessert that we could pick up on the way home.

Upon arriving home, putting away the groceries, and starting to settle in for a night of watching the Olympics, I opened the pizza box. It was burnt. I said, “Amanda this will never do…I ordered extra gooey/runny…look on the ticket and see if it says that!” Amanda asks, “Where is the receipt?” “Oops,” I say, “I put my chewing gum in it and put it in the cup holder in the car.” So Amanda goes and gets it out of the car, scrapes the gum off of it and reads the ticket…”it does say extra rummy”. I get on the phone and call the restaurant back, explain the situation and say I’d like another pizza. The manager is then put on the phone and hears me out and agrees to make me another pizza.
Amanda and I get back in the car, gummy receipt and burnt pizza in hand and head back to Pizza Inn. We pull up to the drive in window and our Pizza is waiting…extra runny and loaded with chocolate chips! We offer to give back the burnt one but they say we can have that one too!

We finally get home, don our pj’s, and settle in for a night of girl talk, great dessert pizza, and Olympics.
We hadn’t been watching long when Amanda says this must really stink for you Mom, not being able to see what’s going on. Then Michael Phelps swims his record breaking swim that is so close it is a photo finish. She proceeds to describe it to me. Amanda’s wonderful descriptions allow me to see through her eyes. How wonderful to be able to see again…even if just for a little while. How wonderful! Amanda is so conscience of my feelings and what I am missing visually so she tries to fill me in on what things look like whenever possible. It is such a blessing to have such a thoughtful daughter who is willing to give up a whole weekend to spend with her Mom.

Saturday morning we ate leftover chocolate chip pizza for breakfast…I tried to bring it to Amanda in bed but she got up before I got all the way back to the bedroom with her plate. Amanda spent a good part of the day working on her tan, while I did some laundry and wrote another chapter of my book. Together we cleaned out the top of my closet, changed the sheets on the beds and watched more Olympics. We finally cooked her new dishes that evening with pretty good success. The corn pudding wasn’t my favorite. I’d never made it before so I didn’t know how to guide her. She took all those leftovers home!

We shared some secrets. I’ll never tell. I promise!

Sunday we went to church and came home and ate leftovers, watched a movie, worked on the computer, packed up some pots and pans for her to take to her apartment, and she was off. Oh how my heart aches when she leaves. How precious my children are to me…what a gift from the Lord. I thank God for the extra measure of patience God has blessed Amanda with when it comes to dealing with a blind Mom. There will be stars in her crown!

I love you Amanda,
Mom…the keeper of the secret!!