Solar Power

UPDATE BELOW!

It is after one ayem in the morning, and I can't sleep.


The Girl is having problems, and was kind enough to make sure I shared them with her. At one ayem. In the morning. Zero dark thirty.


We're just close that way.


You see, there was this car wash that the volleyball team was having at the local HyVee today. Being as The Girl was on the Freshman team and aspires to be on the Junior Varsity team this fall, she thought it would be best if she showed up for the fundraiser.


I took her and another aspiring young athlete friend of hers to the prescribed location about noon yesterday. The Girl was wearing her swimsuit under shorts and a tank top. I mentioned to her that she should be sure to put on some sun screen before she did anything else, since the sun was shining like...well...the SUN and all, and she might get a burn.


Did you know that when you're fifteen years of age your mother is as stupid as a sack of rocks?


She gave lip service to my sage wisdom, rolled her eyes, and went on her merry way.


When I returned two hours later to pick the both of them up, they looked a little pink. The Girl was starting to complain some about her tender skin. I reminded her that she was given the suggestion about the sun screen, at which point she bulled up and didn't talk all the way home after trying to blame it on me.


I guess she showed me. Foolish girl. She knows not with whom she tangles!


When we got back to our house it wasn't even an hour before the girls wanted to go to the pool. Again, being the aged wise woman I am, I mentioned that they were already burned and even more exposure to our friend the sun would likely increase their pain and suffering.


"Oh NO!" they cried. "We now have SUNSCREEN to block our skin from further damage!"


What a novel idea. I wish I'd thought of it.


They liberally salved each other with the lotion, then proceeded to go to the pool, again disregarding my advice. It was about 3:30 p.m. when I dropped them off. When The Hubster picked them up around 6 p.m., they looked more than a little on the well-done side.


I went to work, got home, wrote a post, played on the internet, and went to bed. I had been in bed less than fifteen minutes when I heard The Girl's door open. She came into our room wailing about the immense amount of pain her scorched skin was causing and her inability to sleep.


I got up and gave her aspirin, swabbed her down with aloe vera, had her get something she could lie on that would protect her bed, and wet down a towel to put over her. She shivered and shook but went along with everything I suggested. This time there was a difference.


She actually listened.


As we stood in the bathroom looking at her VERY red skin, she turned to me and uttered the words every mother wants to hear:

"Mom, I think I've learned my lesson."

It was a touching moment in my mothering career. Really. I think I may or may not have actually shed just one shining, single tear over the whole thing. It proved to me that at least a small part of what I'm doing as a mom is right.

And for that, I thank God.

G'night all.

UPDATE

The Girl had to be taken to Urgent Care tonight. Come to find out her little fun in the sun caused 2nd degree burns across her shoulders. Looks like there won't be any sunbathing in her near future!