WARNING....

I'm gonna use this post to brag on my oldest baby. 'Cuz I can.

Today, my 16 year old kiddo went, on her own, to give blood. It was her second time. The first was at her high school blood drive. She found out she has a rare A- blood type so naturally the blood place has been calling her non-stop ever since.

She asked if she could do it. Of course I said yes. I wanted to go with her but she was bound and determined.

On her way (at 8 a.m. on a SUMMER day...I know right? It's SUMMER VACATION kid! Sleep in will ya?!?), she called me and said she forgot to eat breakfast and wondered if she should stop and eat. I told her no....she should have eaten before she left but if she does it now she will surely toss her breakfast. She agreed that would not be a pretty sight.

So she got there. They did their thing.

Trip one to the "cantina"....she sat and ate her cookies and juice but started to feel pretty bad. They took her to the "room" to lay down.

Trip two to the "cantina"....she sat there again and decided she felt too dizzy so back she went to the "room". This time she laid there for a half an hour.

"I read every piece of paper they had there, mom. It was so
boring just laying there. But I needed to do something!" she told me.

"Good! What did you learn?" I replied.

"Well, I learned that as much as it stunk to feel the way I
did, I saved THREE lives today, mom. THREE."

"Very cool, bug. Very cool."

She hit the "cantina" a third time. This time finally feeling much better. As she sat there she said she met a nice elderly couple.

"How long you been coming here, kid?" asked the elderly man.

"My second time," she told him.

"GOOD FOR YOU!" said his wife. "The first time is the hardest so it only gets easier."

The elderly man then looked her in the eye and said, "I've been giving blood every time I can for the last 60 years. Don't stop. You're making a difference."

She nodded, smiled and left.

"Wow, mom. I was supposed to be there today. That old guy was alright."

My baby, at the age of 16, is one smart kid. A kid with a heart bigger than her chest and a pretty good head on her shoulders to match.

I'm proud today. Just darn proud.

I'm just sayin'.