When she shines she really shows you all she can

For those who are unaware, I've got a cool kid. Now don't get me wrong, I know she's not perfect, she's 13 . There are children who get better grades, and Lord knows there are neater rooms than hers (there are neater city dumps, but let's not go there), but I defy you to show me a child with a bigger heart. You won't find one. I tell people all the time that Kaeleigh could make friends in an elevator. That's just how this kid is. Sure, she likes to talk tough and be all cool, but put her in a room with anyone, age 3-83 and they'll like her in a minute. That's all it takes.

Tonight Kae rode home from NJ with me. Sometimes she stretches out in the back, but tonight it was up front with me. During the drive we go from Philadelphia to Lancaster to Harrisburg radio stations, they fade in and out constantly once we're out of the city and we can't usually grab a good one until we're close to Harrisburg. So tonight we scanned. The range of songs that she knows I feel is unusual for a teenager. Sure she knows the top hits, and a good deal of songs on the country stations, but she also knew quite a bit of classic rock songs too. We were driving along singing "the boys are back in town" at the top of our lungs, laughing the whole time. Coolness.

Every once in a while people tell me what a good job I did so far raising Kaeleigh. I usually smile and nod, telling people I had a good support system and it was a group effort, which is totally true. The thing is, I didn't teach her how to be the way she is, she grew into that all on her own. And for that, I am blessed.



(It's a blog-a-thon week kids! My cousin Jennifer and I are doing a blog a day for a week. The challenge this time is the subject line has to be a Duran Duran lyric. Mine comes from Rio)