The Best Day for Mona

Mona met a new friend.  She lives just around the corner from our house.  They are the same age and will be in the same kindergarten next year.  They rode their bikes together all day, had lunch together and couldn't get enough of each other.  It made me tear up, because Mona has not had much luck with finding good friends.  She is sweet, loyal and fun.  She's had some friends just came and went, some that tried to play together but just didn't find the common ground.  Yesterday, Mona and her new friend played together all day.   

Mona got a new bike.  Pink with streamers on the handle bars.  New pink helmet.  In fact, she chose the one that matched her new friend's helmet.  Mona has always been the kind of a child who never ever asks for anything.  Even when we go shopping for her sister, she never complains or whines once.  She's happy with hand me downs.  When she saw the bike, I could almost hear her heart stop.  "Mom, I want to have this bike".  Mona has a bike.  An old hand me down from a friend to her older sister and then to Mona.  She never complained once.  "Mom, I really want this".  Mona never asks for anything.  I looked at Scott.  He winces.  He does not like the "pink".  I say, "I know, but it isn't about us, right?"  "She likes it, we have the money in the savings"  and I walk away, leaving him to make the decision.  I turn around to see Mona riding the bike in the bike shop.  She is beaming.  "Dad said 'yes'!!!"  

Mona had a good day.  She wraps her little arms around my neck.  "I'm happy, mom".  "Me too, Mona.  Me too".