December 23, 2001

      i'm writing this early - while the rest of the house is sleeping.  Once people are awake the day will get busy.  my daughter will be off to do christmas shopping, then back in time to go to a see "Lord of the Rings" with Himself and His daughter and me.  Then it's back home for dinner and a mini christmas celebration for my daughter, since she leaves tomorrow morning to spend the rest of the holiday with her dad.  My son will be drifting in and out as much as he can around his work schedule for the next few days.

     But it looks like the big guy and myself are alone on christmas eve.  i think i'll dress nicely and make it special.  

     It's nice having my daughter in the house - even just for such a short while.  i swear she's even skinnier than before, but seems to be eating.  Even admitted to eating meat last week.  Okay, it was a McDonald's grilled chicken so it's not quite meat, but close enough!  i suggested that maybe she'd want to do that a bit more often - skip beef and pork if she wanted, but at least have a bit of chicken occasionally.  She agreed - maybe she's catching onto the idea that protein in one's diet might be a good thing.

     She's changing a lot now.  More independent it seems.  Actually talking and jetting back and forth between cities for this job she's doing.  But there are some things that haven't changed yet.  When i turned out her light last night, she was snuggled under the blankets - just on the edge of sleep - still holding an Archie comic book.  'Course if she's like me, reading comics books might never change.  i still pick them up once in awhile.  

     Ah well.  In three weeks she loses the braces on her teeth and is legal to go into bars.  Why does it still seem like just yesterday that she was only three years old, hugging her favourite teddy, and posing for a picture?  Yet, while i miss those days, i'm enjoying watching this child that i carried in my belly, turn into a lovely adult.  Just like her brother did.

     It's like planting a seed and watching it grow into a beautiful flower.  Only a gazillion times better.

     And lucky me - i get to share the same time with Himself's daughter. Life is good.

                

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