I surprised Ri this afternoon and picked her and her girlfriend up for lunch. She had asked me earlier in the week when I was slammed with offer letters, phone calls, HR questions, and I had told her I was do busy this week that I didn’t think it would work.

By the time today rolled around, I was wiped. I had a 9 am meeting and it took all my might to keep my eyes open and not stretch my mouth open for a yawn. The meeting ended at 10:55 and I made the rash decision to head over to Ri’s school to surprise her. I called the mom of one of her friends and got permission to take her daughter, too. Oh yea, I am good.

Ri was pumped up and she and Ceylone ran out of class to the car all the while laughing hysterically. I took them back to the house so they could play while I made Mac-n-cheese and corn dogs (healthy, we are not). Ri only eats Mac-n-cheese with an extra slice of cheese melted on it, which I allow for the calcium (she hates milk). We found out Ceylone does not like her Mac-n-cheese that way (which I think Ri knew) so Ri got half of Ceylone’s lunch much to her delight.

I drove them back to school and let them play in the side yard of the school away from all the other kids until the bell rang. When we walked into school, they saw Mrs. Palmer and Ri planted a linebacker hug on her.

“Personal space Maria!” she chuckled. She told me that they were working on personal space with Ri because she had a habit of hugging and holding other classmates, especially a little boy from Mexico named Alex. He can’t stand being touched by girls yet Ri always finds a way to pinch his cheeks and say “you are just the sweetest” when she’s helping him with math problems.

“She’s like a little grandma.”

I gave her my “be good and listen look” as I began to leave for the car. She gave me her stock response as she waved her hand at me “oh, mom, you just go now and don’t worry….” She knew I was irritated with her sassiness right away. In response, she gave me the smile that I have come to lear is the “I am just trying to be funny and not sassy so please don’t get mad at me smile.” I cut her a break and walked away.

As I left, I turned back to look at her. I thought she might yell “thank you” to me for taking her out to lunch but she didn’t.

Instead, she laughed with Ceylone and a friend as she walked in her classroom.

I turned back around, and smiled. A “thank you” was unnecessary after seeing the joy she radiated as she walked back to her class with her friends. If I looked up pure happiness, I think I would have found a picture of her at that moment.

And that’s definitely good enough for me.