Thank You Party

Well, I just have to tell everyone that the sweetest thing EVER happened to me this weekend. I woke up Sunday morning and my stepdaughter had thrown me a "Thank You Party." By the way, I hate the word stepdaughter. I read her Cinderella this weekend and I hate it that this whole "step" thing is supposed to be terrible. It just reinforces the idea that you're a "step" away from being a "real" something or another to that person, and that's just stupid. Anyway...

I woke up and she had thrown me a party. I said, "What are you thanking me for?" She handed me a card. In little 6-year old scribble it said on the inside, "Anisa, Thank you for taking such good care of me and Daddy. Love, Ariana." She had used her precious glittery fairy stickers on the outside, and I could tell she had taken special care to write very neatly with her markers. As soon as the "party" was over, I asked my husband why he did that for me. He informed me that it was her idea and she made all the cards and decorations herself. He had not come up with or encouraged the idea. I couldn't believe it.

It's not always easy, but I will say that it is events like this...the cards, the family portraits of us that she draws, that make our time with her so special. For 29 days out of the month, it's just me and Bert. But on those 2 days a month when she is with us, someone else comes before myself 100% of the time. She has no idea I learn as much from her as she does from me.

It is my wish that as she grows, she will be able to turn to me for things that can be difficult to tell others. I have been very close to my aunt, and I hope we will have a similar relationship. While I'm not ready for children of my "own," (lose what little is left of my figure already? hah!) I am very grateful for the time we are able to spend with her. I guess we're both lucky to have found each other.

It just serves as a reminder that every relationship and friendship doesn't have to be dissected. Sometimes people come into our lives and we have no idea why. All I know is that it's nice to have someone to put a little make-up on and to read a bedtime story to. Many of you may have a child yourself or a stepchild or a cousin or a niece/nephew that looks to you in such awe. It certainly is a nice feeling, and one that leaves me with the responsiblity that I want to give her someone to look up to. And although she's half my height, I look up to her as well.