Houston, we have a problem

So, here is sentence that no mother wants to have her 18 year old daughter, who is away at college, start a phone conversation....."Mom, we have a problem." My Katie calls me last night from college....it's finals week there and I knew she had a big one in Chemistry, her major, yesterday. I say, "Hey kiddo." And she replies with that spine tingling statement, "Mom, we have a problem," and her voice is a little shaky.

My heart stops....several scenarios run through my mind, she's flunked her Chemistry final, or she's flunking out of college altogether, or she's pregnant, or......fill in any extreme blank.

I am not breathing....but I manage to stammer out, "Okay, what is it?" I am bracing myself...trying to come up with calm and loving responses to any of the scenarios playing through my mind.

"Mom, I look like Elvira. I tried to color my hair dark brown and it came out jet black."

Well, this is one scenario that I did not take into consideration, and therefore, I didn't have a kind and loving response ready for it....so I begin to laugh....I mean really laugh and I say, "Well, mistress of the night, it's going to be a fun Christmas with you and the grandparents."