My Brave Boo

We all know that Leah is scared of everything. Seriously. I really do mean everything. If she even gets a whiff that something is new or unknown to her it invokes one of three reactions; panicked tears and the grip of death, the mad dash of terror, or the possum limp drop of the dead. Any one of which is my favorite, or least favorite, as it were. Take your pick.

You might think I am exaggerating. To illustrate my point, I'll tell you that anytime the kids bring home one of those Disneyland vacation fantasy guides (why do they hand those out to elementary school kids? Huh? HUH?), Leah will say "Who in the world would want to go there? Not me. That place looks freaky". I really am quoting her there. She actually used the word "freaky" to describe the Happiest Place On Earth. Swear.

Knowing all that, imagine my surprise when one day Harrison and Abigail had forgotten their lunches, and in bringing them to the school Leah said she wanted to bring them in and deliver them to the front office. By herself. Without me. Alone. Just her. Oh, you get it. Shocked and stunned is more like it. I agreed to it, thinking that she would walk 3 steps away from the car and turn back and ask me to come with her. She asked me what she needed to say, and then began rehearsing in the car on the way over. "These are for Abigail and Harrison Brammer" she whispered to herself, "Can you please make sure they get them?". Over and over I heard her literally talking herself into it. "These are for Abigail and Harrison Brammer. Can you please make sure they get them? These are for Abigail and Harrison Brammer. Can you please make sure they get them?" Then when we drove up to the front of the school she hopped out of the car, took a big breath and closed the car door. She walked all the way up the walkway and into the school. By herself. She never even turned and looked back at me.

When she came back out she was beaming. She was shining brighter than the sunshine that day. I couldn't believe it. Her smile was met with mine along with some proud mama tears. My sweet, shy, scared girl had done it. It was a big day for her. She was so proud of herself that day, almost as much as I was.

Plus now I owed her one, seeing as I was still in my pajamas and all. Those guys at the front office have seen me in my pj's more than Jeb, I swear. They owe a big thank you to my Boo as well.