Cool gel socks.

The final items carefully packed away. The checklist meticulously checked-off. Her bags are perfectly organized. A final treat. I found these gel socks in the pedicure section. They offer comfort and relief for tired feet. My daughter's biggest complaint, at cheer camp last year, was her hot, tired aching feet. As I plopped the socks into the cart, I explained to my daughter that she can put these in the frig in her dorm room and when she returns from practice, put these cold, refreshing gel socks on. Her smile told me this was a great idea. I had so much fun thinking of this. To me it is the little things that teenager girls need for affirmation and love. It's the cute shower tote with matching flipflops, not expensive, just coordinating colors that she picked out. It's the time taken to let her choose items, with me patiently waiting, it means a great deal to our relationship. She feels validated and worthy because I give her room to make such decisions and I trust her. As I watched her making her bed in the dorm room, I could feel the bond between us. It is of mutual respect. When it came time for me to leave, the familiar frog came crawling up my throat. I have in years past, tired to fake this feeling, now she knows exactly how I feel. She proclaims, "my mom is trying not to cry, she is going to miss me." I tell her I am going to move all her perfectly placed items on her dresser and let her big brother mess up her designer bed covers. She gasps in shock, "you wouldn't mom!" I wrap my arms around her tight and breathe in her fresh smell of shampoo, lotions and all that great girl stuff. I walk quickly out to my car, fighting that bullfrog choking my throat and then I smile. I can picture her coming in to take a rest and pulling out those gel socks and she will know, she will smile. She will remember how much fun we had getting her stuff together and then she will feel the coolness on her feet and the warmth of our love. Now that's cool.