2005-09-11

BUT YOU'RE ONLY ELEVEN

ARE YOU KIDDING ME? MY OLDEST DAUGHTER IS ONLY 11 AND THINGS ARE STARTING TO HAPPEN TOO FAST AROUND HERE. I KNOW SHE HAS THINGS SHE NEEDS TO TALK ABOUT, BUT I UNDERSTAND SHE WOULD FEEL MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE TALKING TO SOMEONE ELSE WHO UNDERSTANDS WHY HER BODY IS GOING THROUGH SO MANY CHANGES RIGHT NOW. SHE NEEDS A MOTHER FIGURE IN HER LIFE AND SHE KNOWS THAT I REALIZE THAT AS WELL.

I GOT A CALL FROM THE SCHOOL NURSE LAST WEEK, AND SHE EXPLAINED TO ME THAT I NEEDED TO GO TO THE DRUG STORE, BUY THIS, AND WHEN SHE CAME HOME FROM SCHOOL THAT DAY SHE EMPHASIZED THE DELICACY OF THIS MATTER.

WHEN FAITH CAME HOME THAT AFTERNOON, I HANDED HER A BAG FROM THE DRUG STORE, GAVE HER A KISS ON HER FOREHEAD, AND TOLD HER THAT SHE COULD TALK TO ME ABOUT ANYTHING AND REMINDED HER THAT I GREW UP WITH FOUR YOUNGER SISTERS.

SHE SEEMED SO RELIEVED FROM MY ATTITUDE AND ACTUALLY CAME TO ME AND WE SPOKE ABOUT IT CANDIDLY. I REMINDED HER THAT IF SHE HAD ANY QUESTIONS SHE FELT UNCOMFORTABLE ABOUT ASKING ME, SHE COULD ALWAYS SPEAK TO MY MOM OR ONE OF HER AUNTS.

I MUST ADMIT, I WAS SHOCKED THAT WE WERE ALREADY FACING THESE CHALLENGING SITUATIONS, WHERE I HAD TO CAREFULLY THINK BEFORE I SPOKE, DUE TO THE SENSITIVITY OF OUR CONVERSATIONS, AND TO THE TRUST I WAS TRYING SO HARD TO BUILD WITH HER, IN ORDER TO SET A FOUNDATION FOR THE YEARS TO COME. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL THING WHEN SHE REALIZED SHE COULD COME TO ME ABOUT ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING. ALL IN ALL, I FEEL THAT WE'VE BEGUN TO CREATE A WONDERFUL BOND AND I LOVE HER SO.