Charlotte, Carlos and the Countdown to Rodeo Weekend!

I lifted my head and felt my cell phone peel off my check and plop down on my pillow, it was beeping and vibrating vigorously. 5:00 am already? I was heading off to meet Charlotte’s grandmother today, I finally get to see my Charlotte Bear! My goal was to get up extra early, shower and get all ready for work so that I wouldn’t have to worry about it when I got home with her. However 5:00 am came much sooner and harder than I anticipated and I ended up sleeping in till well after 7:00; so much for plan A.

At 7:20 I just so happen to wake myself and glance at my phone. SHIT. I jump out of bed and scramble for some jeans and a t-shirt. I throw a bottle of water and my purse in the car and hit the road. I stopped for a quad shot (don’t judge me) sugar-free soy latte and some gas. I have grown so accustom to this drive that I no longer dread it at all- I Iook forward to it. Two whole hours of dancing and singing like an idiot in my car, two glorious un-interrupted hours of thinking to myself; sometimes out loud, about anything and everything going on in my life. I have conversations with myself that I probably won’t ever end up actually having with the people they are intended for…but at least I get all my thoughts in order and figure out what I should do- even though I probably won’t end up actually do that either.

Before I know it the two hour long drive is over and I pull up to Grandma’s car in the Safeway parking lot. I see my little Charlotte bear hopping up and down in the passenger seat pointing at me, I practically tuck and roll out of my moving vehicle; IM SO HAPPY TO SEE HER! She throws her tiny arms around my neck and clings to me like a little baby monkey, Carolyn and I chatted for a bit then said our goodbyes. Charlotte slept most of the drive home but as soon as we pull into the driveway her big blue eyes pop right open and she asks, “Where’s Carlos?!”

Carlos is my sister’s boyfriend, and Charlotte is mildly obsessed with him…I recall my first crush being in 5th grade; but Charlotte of course one-up’s me again. She walked before 12 months, talked shortly after, counted to ten by 18 months and now she has started mackin on guys by the age of 2. (Note to self: begin thorough investigation of private girl’s schools on the East Coast)…

Luckily, Carlos had today off and showed up not long after our arrival. Two thirty rolled around and it was time to prepare for work, today I am rockin one of my brand new Rodeo ensembles; cowgirl boots, a little white dress complete with turquoise necklace and bracelet ( and maybe some poofier than normal hair) RODEO WEEKEND IS COMING, gotta get the boots worked in and get in the spirit of whiskey drinkin, swing dancin and a never-ending supply of wild, willing and able cowboys.

(Although, I could probably pass on the cowboy part…)