Family | Lessons from my daughter

Since the day Emily was born, I have been responsible for her.

“Normally” parents guide and help their little ones learn and grow than slowly watch them fly on their own.

In our world the guiding and helping will most likely be a life long task of mine and I am at peace with that.

It’s almost automatic now for me to ask clarifying questions and reach out to understand what’s expected of Emily so I can familiarize myself with it than help Emily learn, understand, practice or whatever else it is she needs to do.

This past year I failed to ask questions and understand what “cheer sisters” meant. 😢

At Emily’s first showcase ever, she was assigned Calysta as a cheer sister.

Dear Calysta,

I owe you an apology for not realizing this was a season long sisterhood. I didn’t ask questions and I failed both you and Emily in the process but you didn’t give up on my girl.

I remember seeing you around, you provided encouragements and you cheered for Emily even when she didn’t quite do the same for you.

See, I should have written down your name and taken a pictures of you two together. It would have helped Emily remember who her cheer sister was. I should have talked to Emily about you and encourage her to talk to you at the gym instead of putting all of it on you.

I promise you that I will be better at this.

I will be better because you didn’t give up on Emily.

On Saturday, after her performance, you walked on that mat and gave Emily a flower. Emily said thanks and walked away. You must have hoped for a little bit more from Emily but that’s all you got.

Again, I’m so sorry, I didn’t know.

But on Saturday, I really saw you and I wondered why you showed so much kindness to Emily.

Later, I saw your dad’s Facebook post about Emily’s performance, stating that she was your cheer sister and it all made sense.

Thank you Calysta for not giving up on Emily.

Thank you for your encouragements and kindness.

You are a wonderful young lady and Emily loved your flower!

It made the trip home with us and although Emily didn’t know who you were and why you gave her a flower, she was touched in her own way.

I will talk to Emily about you and hopefully next time we see you, she will say hello and slowly, she will learn your name.

Because my post titled That happened! seemed to please many readers, let me tell you about another time when I was definitely not at my best.

If you didn’t see my earlier post That happened!, you should check it out. It’s a quick fun read.

So here it is!

Jonathan and I rarely go out together.

I know, that sounds sad but we have different tastes on many things so it’s easier to plan things to do separately and that way we both get to go out at different times and we don’t need to arrange for someone to be with Emily.

Once in a while, we plan a date night and we are lucky that Emily can spend the night with her Nana (Jon’s mom).

It normally ends with us taking a cab home because we drank a little too much.

On Jonathan’s birthday, we planned to go out with friends. Knowing that I had to go get Emily early on Saturday morning to take her to cheer practice at 9am, I was reasonable and only had a couple of drinks over the many hours we were out.

On Saturday morning, I got up on time.

I got dressed, packed Emily’s cheer bag and left the house.

I mapped the road in my head so I could treat myself to a decadent Starbucks Caramel Macchiato on the way to pick Emily up.

After getting my coffee, I got to the street light and had a feeling I was supposed to turn right than got to my senses and went left.

I got back on the highway and took the appropriate exit to go to …

THE CHEER GYM!!!

Yes, on the way to pick Emily up to get her to her cheer practice, I forgot to pick her up!

I was almost at the gym when I realized she wasn’t with me! Than it hit me… that’s why I was supposed to turn right at the light!

I turned around and went to get her.

Emily thought it was really funny that I went to the gym without her.

Am I the only one doing things like that?

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