Small Signs of Maturity

Slowly, ever so quietly, I am seeing tiny buds of maturity start to take root in Ricki.
On Thursday, Ricki and I went swimming, and coming home I needed to run an errand. As we neared the house, I told Ricki to go home, and I would continue on to my errand. Ricki, happy for the chance at independence, charged forward. And as I followed at a distance, I could see that she was completely unaware that I was in reality just a few steps behind her, on the parallel side of the street. As she neared the grocery store, I half expected Ricki would go in, but she didn’t. She continued on without a backward glance.
And a few mornings ago, she was ready for school a few moments early, and eagerly sat down to do a puzzle that she liked. I mentioned that she would need to go down soon. Ricki paused, and commented: “I don’t have time for this now…” And without further a do, she put it aside, and gathered up her stuff for school.
So along