BIG NEWS...

And it's kind of related to our trip.

But not really.

So.

While we were in London, the kids were not allowed to use their cell phones t0 text or call their friends back home because it would have been really expensive.

They did, however, get to use their father's Blackberry to make a couple of phone calls and/or text on occasion because it wasn't an extra cost to do so from that.

So they were able to at least take the edge off when they needed their fix.

Fast forward to last Saturday when Kayla went with a carload of friends to the Illinois State Fair. They went to a concert and I was really excited for her to have this opportunity, mainly because I was not the mom driving.

Thanks, Mrs. K.

When Kayla arrived home, she had fantastic news to share.

SHE WON A TEXTING CONTEST AT THE ILLINOIS STATE FAIR!!!

I know. Could a mother be more proud?

This is how she told us the news:

Daddy, remember how I used your Blackberry so much in London? Well, it paid off. I entered a texting contest at the Verizon tent. I stepped right up, raised my hand and said "I call Blackberry." And I won!

(I also suspect the fact that she had twelve thousand - yes TWELVE. THOUSAND - texts on our last phone bill might have helped. Yes, she will lose her thumbs by the time she's twenty, but she'll be famous by that time.)

Well, you could have knocked me over with a feather when I heard the news. My heart was overflowing with pride and memories of all the maternal sacrifices I've made to get her to this point. I could imagine her stepping up to enter this contest; extending her arms to each side to clear away her many admirers, popping her knuckles and looking to either side and saying "you're going down," to her two nearest competitors.

Oh!! I have goosebumps just thinking of it, and it is taking great effort, even now, to hold back the tears of pride.

We have not yet heard where her next appearance will be; but surely she will be advancing to some sort of national contest....AND THEN THE WORLD!!.

Plus, she won a drawstring backpack and a lanyard.

Could scholarships be far behind?

It is still sinking in that my daughter is an Illinois State Fair Texting Champion.

And here we thought she'd amount to nothing.

*for a schedule of Kayla's appearances please go to http://www.mythumbsfelloff.com/.