Good Thoughts For Papoose #1

Papoose #1 is in college.  She took every dual credit class she was allowed to during her junior and senior years of high school, and is a sophmore now, her first year actually in college.

Affording this education has been incredibly tough on her, even with loans etc.  I am so very proud of her.  I have been almost no help to her on anything to do with her schooling.  I never attended college, and was no help to her on the application process of it, and financially there is very little I can do for her just yet as well.  Just about the only thing I did for her was give her a car.  Thats it, other than that, she's carrying the ball the whole hundred yards.

So she is literally working her way through college.  She takes oodles of course hours and still works to support herself, pay her school loans, feed herself, maintain her car, buy clothes and everything else.  She works as a waitress, but she also is a fantastic photographer and extremely talented, so makes some money doing side jobs of photo shoots for people.  Strictly word of mouth, and she has managed to support herself with it.  Yeah, she's THAT good.

Everybody loves her.  She has always had the most beautiful soul and a personality that just draws people to her. She funny and sweet, incredibly intelligent, and so creative that I just don't know where that even came from.  She is athletic and determined and outgoing.  She is the type of girl I always wanted to be, but never knew how.

She has been going through numerous interview, classes and preparation for months now, vying for an Residential Leader (like a college level hall monitor/house mother) position.  If she is selected, it will cover room and board as well as offer her an office position there at the college, where she is not only encouraged, but expected to bring her homework and studies in to work with her.  This would be a blessing for her in so many ways.  Monetarily, of course, but also in the fact that if she gets a job on campus, she can get more study time in while working, instead of waiting tables for hours on end and then going home and studying.  Today she goes in for the final interview, the big time.  She is as nervous as you can even imagine.

Anyhow, please keep her in your thoughts and prayers, if you have a minute.  She is an amazing person, and is working hard to become a productive part of our society.  She has grown into an incredible person, despite my less than stellar parenting.  I've been so blessed to be allowed to share my life with someone like her.  God really did me a good turn on that.  She is one of the good ones.

I Hope You Dance has been 'our' song since it was released.  It's how I've always felt about her, and the attitude I've taken in raising her.l