A letter in the mail

I knew it was coming, of course. I'd been expecting it for a very long time, yet hoping at the same time to hold it at bay just a little longer. I pushed if off my mental radar, because each time I thought of it, a tight little knot formed in my stomache.

But today, it hit me in the face with a dopeslap of reality. It came in the mail addressed to the "parents/guardians of (enter oldest daughter's name here)." And it was from the local high school she'll be attending in the fall. It was a letter of welcome, and telling me to mark a certain date on the calendar to go to the high school and find out the curriculum.

She's talked about high school all year, mocking me by telling me how many more months and weeks it would be until she was in high school. I'd chuckle and laugh it off, and then hide in the bathroom until the feeling of dread passed.

This weekend was hard in my house. It seems that so many things happened at the same time to point out to me in loudest possible form that she was growing up and will one day be gone.

She's in love for the first time, and with a total loser. No, I wouldn't say that about any boy she liked, but I've seen this one, and he's a loser. LOL But I guess she doesn't think so. I never thought all the losers I liked were really losers, and yet most of them were.

I know. Love is blind. We always think with our hearts and not always our minds.

Since the day my daughters came into this world, I've dreaded these years ahead, the teen years, that will likely be the most emotional of their lives. I hope I can handle it. My mother didn't handle it very well with me, but I plan on doing a better job of it.

Let's hope I can.