Hope is 14... yes, 14. I have a 14 year old daughter. I was a piece of work when I was 14, thank God my daughter is so much better than I ever was.
The other day I had to let Carl know that Hope was planning a party for her Birthday... here is our conversation .
Carl: I can't talk-only have 5 minutes so just give me the bullets (who says romance is dead?)
Me: Let's see... kids are good, I am fine, your mother is out on bail, my parents won the lottery, oh, and Hope is having a boy/girl party for her birthday. Did you hear me when I said your mom was out on bail?
Carl: (sounds like gun shots in the background) Stop. Back up. What is this about a boy/girl party?
Me: Were those gun shots I just heard?????
Carl: No, I was just popping some bubble wrap from a package you so loving sent to me because you are the best wife on the planet. (those are his exact words-I swear)
Me: Yes, Hope is having a boy/girl party... complete with pizza, music, giggling girls and 8th grade boys.
Carl: Let me call you back on the secure line...
I can't tell you what we talked about on the secure line well, because it was secure... but I will tell you this, my husband is having a hard time with his little girl growing up, and I had to hire a off-duty police officer for the party to stand guard and watch over 10 little teenagers who I assume are innocent, but my husband claims are anything BUT innocent.
When did this happen? Just last week she was picking her nose and eating the boogers... just last week she was asking me to read her "anuder" book before bed... just last week she had braces and glasses and non-highlighted hair... just last week she was still wearing the clothes that I bought for her at OshKosh B'Gosh and Carters... just last week she thought that her little brother was a wonderful playmate and she even hugged and kissed him every chance she could.. just last week she didn't roll her eyes at me and think that I was in dire need of a make over.
I cannot tell you how much I love this child-words cannot express the feelings my heart gets when I see her smile or laugh. She has the biggest heart of anyone I know and to say that Hope is brave is putting it lightly. She thinks of others first, as in, "I didn't want to eat the last cookie because I knew baby Mary would want it." or "I have $5 left on my Starbucks gift card, can I take Emma across the street so that I can get her that strawberry smoothie that she loves?"
I have looked past the fact that she has a journal and writes mean things about me from time to time... but that is what a 14 year old girl is supposed to do right? And if I ever let her know that I know about the journal, she won't have an outlet for all of those "My mother is so unfair!!!" moments, because the moments where she sits at the kitchen table and tells me all about her friends and her dreams and even who she thinks is cute but would never let them know, completely outweighs any "My mother is the enemy" entries in her journal.
Any mother would be so lucky to have a Hope like mine.
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