I have been trying for about an hour to write my blog. I usually have no trouble whipping out my words. The time consuming part is cleaning up the word sludge that doesn't fit in. But tonight I am having more trouble than usual because my 10 year old daughter has been at my side since I got home from work on Friday night. She has spend the last 52 hours sharing with me every thought that has gone through her head.
I live to have her near me. I often crave her smile or her silly ways. She likes to watch Mork & Mindy and to strut her stuff to Just Dance 3. I love this girl! But she is my hurdle tonight.
Friday night began with a whirlwind when I came home to Husband preparing a donation box for Daughter to use while making balloon monkeys and swords at the music pre-fest for the Race City Festival. I know that seems like a lot of information in one sentence but it will explain itself soon. Then we loaded up the car with the donation box, about 100 uninflated balloons, a handheld balloon pump, an easel for displaying, and the family to head to down town for the pre-fest Fest. D set up shop and we were set. She made a few monkeys and swords and handed them out to whet the appetites of the smaller music fans. Business picked up and about 3 hours later, with fingers bright red, she was ready to go home. She counted her money. Over $42 in donations. With pride and exhaustion, we all fell asleep.
About 2 am D comes to me with a stomach ache. We use a scale in our house to gauge illness...10 is flying and 1 is dying. D was a 6 and described herself as feeling 'a little barfy.' I climbed into bed with her and next thing I knew it was 5:30 and no one barfed or continued complaining. I slithered back to my own bed grateful that my window faces north and I might get a few more hours of sleep. By 9am we were back in the car heading to Race City Fest. D had a new location (her karate studio) and the promise of more balloon-loving kids with parents who want to make big donations. We quickly learned that many vendors were giving out free things...including the guy across the street from our karate studio promoting HIS karate studio by giving out balloon swords! This was almost too much to bear but D began her pro bono balloon sculpting and donations began to line her box. At the end of the day, thanks in part to a generous donation from her karate sensei, D had collected another $60. She came home, added up the money from her 2 lemonade stands this spring, and tallied $120.78.
My little girl, who spend this whole Sunday glued to my side from the minute my feet hit the floor, tailing to me about whatever, and I mean whatever, crossed her mind, dancing with me to Just Dance 3, accompanying me to my new job training (ok--she benefitted here because she played with my coworker's daughter), helping me make dinner, keeps interrupting me because she needs to know how to spell words like Neuroblastoma and hospital for the Keynote she is creating to show her classmates what she did this weekend. There is nothing more natural than for me to start my blog all over again to tell you how proud I am of what D did for the families who benefit from the Harrison Nichols Foundation.
As she finished showing me the presentation a few minutes ago, I noticed that her final line said, "I raised $120. I am so happy!" I asked her why she was happy. "Because I helped people," she stated plainly like everyone feels this way. I had her write that on her slide.
"I am so happy because I helped people." I am happy too, D, because you remind me that every minute with you is a pleasure even if it sometimes keeps me from the things I feel compelled to do or I lose sleep overnight while your tummy gurgles. Nothing is more natural than spending time with you, helping you grow to become who you want to be, and soothing your ills.
Natural mothering is nurturing the spirit within. To my daughter there is nothing more natural than giving of herself. I hope that can rub off on me.
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