True colors

Emma got sick Monday night.  She spent a miserable night, awake a lot, feeling awful.  I recommended she stay home from early morning seminary (even though they offer it release time here, she has her electives priorities and took seminary early morning).  She said she couldn't miss any more days.  (I think you can miss four or something, I can't remember.  I don't have to remember because Emma is on top of it.)

When I woke up she was dragging herself home from seminary.  She was terribly pale.  I said, "I thought you would miss seminary."

She said, "I had to go."

And that is Emma.  She does what she does.

She told me she was staying home until 10:00, then going back to school.  I said OK, because what does my opinion matter?

As the day progressed, she was feeling better.  She had a voice lesson at 5:00 in the evening and at 4:45, I found her asleep on the couch.  I gently woke her up.

She sat up, bleary eyed and dazed.  "Thanks Mom," she said, "I am so lucky to have you."

I think I just blinked.  Because Emma has never said anything like that to me before.  Somehow I gave birth to the most independent soul I've ever known.  "You're voice lesson is at 5:00," I reminded her.

"I know," she said, picking herself up off the couch.  And the spell was broken.  Because she always knows all the things.  She drove herself to her lesson and came home singing like she usually does.  She had dinner and got herself ready for the last choir concert of the year.

I watched her sing, afterward we chatted about the end of year slide show.  We commented on the choir performances.  She went to bed in her own due time because she can't be rushed.

But I will always remember that one time, when her defenses were down and she told me she was lucky to have me.

I am certainly lucky to have her.