Courtney

“Being a mother is an attitude, not a biological relation.”  - Robert A. Heinlein,

For the past two years, my son Jacob has been in a relationship with Courtney.  Jacob had relationships before her but none so serious as this.  He kept his relationship with Court a secret for quite a long time.  She was his housemate in Guelph for two school years and when they started dating, they were reluctant to share the news with anyone else.  Their other two housemates didn't even know until the second year.  One of them didn't take it well and she made their lives pretty miserable for that last year of sharing the house.  But it is long in the open now and I would be hard pressed to find someone who wouldn't agree that they are a beautiful couple. 

Jacob finally told us in May of 2012 that he and Courtney are an item.  She is a pretty young woman, smart and sweet.  I was happy he had met someone who makes him happy.  I didn't quite expect to get as attached to her as I have become but I'm hooked.  She lived with us for a few weeks when the school year started this year and she transferred to Ryerson.  Jacob had returned to Guelph and she filled some of the yawning space left by his absence.  We've seen little of her since she moved into her apartment downtown.  Her workload is heavy and the adjustment to big city life has been challenging.  So it was a treat on Friday when she and I were exchanging text messages, to figure out that we actually had a chance to spend some time together this weekend.  I was downtown at a hearing.  I offered to pick her up and bring her home with me.  She said yes and hurriedly packed a bag.  So until Sunday morning, we had Courtney with us again. 

It wasn't a real exciting time.  Mostly she worked sitting on the couch next to me.  We did a little bit of shopping and a bit of chatting.  We watched some T.V. and we snuggled a little.  It was just what the doctor ordered.  When I took her back to her apartment on Sunday morning, she'd had a dose of some needed mothering and I'd had the needed chance to do some mothering.  It was a win-win. 

I'm grateful to Jacob for bringing this lovely young woman into my life.  She has become one of my kids.  I love her and she loves me.  I am lucky indeed.