I am nonplused. My mom and I don't always get along, though we have some really fantastic conversations at times. We love each other, but we fight, too. One thing we used to have trouble about was money. I can't stand to use other people's money, and I like being in charge of my own stuff. I've bought my own clothes since I was 12. My first year at college, since I wasn't working (at their suggestion), my parents had to pay all my college bills. I heard about it so much that I dropped debate the next year and began working - first at a florist shop, completely out of my comfort zone, and then grading Latin workbooks. I've been working ever since at school so that I can pay for airplane tickets, extra groceries, and schoolbooks.

This year I no longer have my job grading Latin, so I've been lining up tutoring situations. I walked into my mom's room and flopped on her bed to explain my coming financial picture to her. "I found another tutoring job," I said, "but since it's quite a bit farther away, I'm going to raise my rate."
"How much farther?" she asked immediately.
"It's a 40-minute drive one way."
Instantly, astonishing things came from her mouth. First, she wanted to buy me a new car, because she doesn't trust Thing to make that distance every week. I explained that by this point I know Thing's foibles, and that he is pretty trustworthy. I didn't want her to spend the money on a car, because I own Thing fair and square, and I bought and repaired him with my own money. I want to be independent and low-stress, I said, and with Thing I am, because he wasn't a high expenditure, so it doesn't matter too much what happens to him.
"Why do you want the extra money of this job anyway?" she asked. I explained how much car insurance, gas, extra groceries, and Tae Kwon Do lessons will cost. "And then, I am saving the extra for a laptop," I added.
"Oh!" She brightened. "We can buy you a laptop. I'm sure Dad will agree, if it will save you from an extra hour and a half of driving in Virginia ice or sleet every week." I stared at her again, unsure how to handle this suddenly generous mother. It is true; I've wanted a laptop of my own for a long time, but I hadn't counted on having one for a while yet. I didn't want to accept, because I wanted to own it myself, fair and square, no strings attached. I protested for another five minutes or more: "But I'll still need some of the money from that job for living expenses."
The answer came quickly. "Well, we'll give you a $1000 scholarship from our own pockets so that you have more time to study. How about that?"

How about that, indeed! And it was just last night I was laying everything before God and saying I was worried about the upcoming semester! So at this point in the conversation I said, "All right, I think it is time I just relaxed and said, 'thank you!'" Then my mom shooed me out of the room, and I came down here to look up laptop specs for college. I am still in a state of shock, and I can hardly believe it is true. I am going to do my very best to make this a worthwhile expenditure for my parents. :) :) :) :) :) :)  ¶ 8:07 PM