Dinner With the Bachelorettes

Last night my mother and I were invited to dinner with my daughter, Kimber, and "my other daughter" Brittany, friends since middle school.

These two accomplished young women have worked hard to get where they are today. Employed since age 15, they often worked together - for a sports photographer cropping and selling photos, a doughnut shop working the counter, an ambulance company as emergency responders, and for a nursing home as CNAs. If they wanted a car, they bought it themselves, and they worked their way through college too. Nothing was handed to these girls on a silver platter, and I like to think it makes their accomplishments all the sweeter.

Today, at age 23, their lives are right on track. Brit is a registered nurse in a Harrisburg hospital, and Kimber is in her second year of Physician Assistant school doing a clinical rotation in Harrisburg. Hence the two are temporarily roommates in Brit's Harrisburg apartment. Kimber is planning a wedding next fall that includes Brit and her boyfriend in the wedding party.

Last night they served a lovely meal on the same table where Kimber permanently glued glitter as a toddler. In those days, I would lay down in bed with her at night to read a book, and sometimes she wanted me to make up a story. My tales were never about a beautiful princess being rescued by a prince. Instead they went something like this: "Once upon a time there was a girl named Kimber who was the smartest, bravest, strongest, kindest girl in all the land." And they always ended with Kimber as the hero who had helped others and saved the day.

Seems like yesterday I was a single Mom driving the girls to middle school, Brit and I singing "I'm a Believer" with the car radio while Kimber rolled her eyes.