I f**king heart you Shelly

Words to warm a parent's heart. That was a txt I got from kid as I left Finglas yesterday to head back to work. Just to explain, to heart something is very good. Normally she reserves the word heart for things like Slayer, various women she likes, Coke, tatoos, my mash but rarely do we get the honour of being hearted. And with an expletitive thrown in , she must mean it. There are various moments in my life when I am proud of that kid, there have been lots of them, but yesterday I think was the proudest. Yes, she still has her exams to do and yes she has college to get into. But for now, that kid has survived. Through everything that was thrown at her. And for that I am so proud. I remember myself and Mammy2 attending one of the first of many ceremonies the schools that she has attended put on. It was an end of year celebration for CBS, Westland Row. She hated that school, much like she hated her old school
in Athlone. I suppose more so because she was 14, from the country and 'different'. All the kids were inner city from Pearse Street and the surrounding areas so her with her black eye makeup, wiccan rituals and general outlook on life forced her to stand out. I remember we sat down near the back, she was up at the front. By herself. She had no friends apart from one girl who used to talk to her the odd time. As the students all piled in, she cut such a lonely figure up at the front. I couldn't watch. She was going to be sitting by herself for the whole thing. I was in bits. Thankfully, the friendly girl arrived in and the principal sent her over to sit beside the kid. We were never so relieved.
She didn't win anything but we were happy just to have her see out her 2nd year there. The next few ceremonies were slightly less nail biting as she started to make friends. Yesterday, when I arrived at the church, she was with 2 girls who I had never met and was hyper, txting people, calling the best mate K to see where she was. Jumping around the place with her blood red pigtails.

There had been a 'discussion' that morning about wearing her full uniform.

"But my docs are more comfortable"
"I won't wear my tie"
"Because I don't wanna........." always the mature answer you expect from a 17 year old.

However, in her defence, she did leave the docs at home. I guess her plan with dying her hair blood red is that by the time the teacher gets over the hair they won't raise an eyebrow at the lack of tie and shoes. She did 'forget' her tie. Conviently. We were supposed to be sitting beside the students, but the head teacher moved them to the right hand side of the church whilst I sat with the best mate K's Mammy. It was the first time I met her. Get this, she's the
same age as me. I get freaked out about that the whole time! The mass was grand, the priest was entertaining and the school choir are very good. When it got the principal's speech, I was convinced he had borrowed the wear Sunscreen spile. He's down with the kids alright. The mass ended with the choir performing I Believe by Yoland Adams, an R&B gospelly song. I had tears at that stage. I could see the kid's pigtails bobbing up and down and her joking with the mates and its hard to describe how proud I felt of her. The choir at this stage were giving it socks, swaying and clapping and they ended by throwing their ties up in the air. Afterwards the kid wanted me to go back to the school for tea and cakes but I was tied to time as I hadn't taken a half day. I felt bad so I said I would bring them out for dinner. She jumped on me nearly killing me with a hug.

As I left I txted her telling her how proud I was of her and how proud Mam would have been. And the title is the reply. She's one cool kid and she's ours :)