Sweet rewards when I least expected them

Here she is — turning out just fine.

Parents have moments and MOMENTS. Some send us running for cover, others keep us grinning for hours.

God knows we’ve had our MOMENTS with Catherine — the supermarket tantrum over a hot-pink rubber ball I wouldn’t buy, the testing of illicit words, the time she waited until my back was turned and then hit me with her shoe.

True story. I do not recall what request I had denied, but she was pissed. She was 3 at the time and I briefly worried that I might not be writing headlines (one of my jobs at the time) but making them some day.

Today, though, we had a moment.

Something needed my attention. Right here. Right now. The clock was ticking; the task didn’t care. It had to be done and I had to figure out how.

I had just come from Jazzercise and a terrific hands-only CPR training session. There was no time to waste. I exchanged a set of sweaty clothes for dry ones, said an extra prayer to the deodorant goddess lest I offend and began to collect the materials I needed for my task.

Catherine made me lunch. Peanut butter on whole wheat. She fretted there wasn’t jelly, but it was fine with me. She asked what fruit I preferred, made sure there were napkins and insisted that the glass bottle of iced tea I wanted to bring be poured into a plastic travel cup for safety.

Then while I was gone, she did a load of laundry and emptied the dishwasher.

I keep looking at the calendar to make sure it’s September that comes next and not December, but it seems simply that some of my lessons sunk in after all.

Color me shocked and amazed.