I was in the room as she drew her first breath, when she let loose that piercing cry, entering the world with a plan to take it over. Her mother gave her my middle name, and I considered it huge honor and a responsibility to her. All I wanted to do was hold her and look deep into her coffee colored eyes and give her advice on how to navigate this tricky thing called womanhood.
For the first nine years of her life, I dedicated myself to making things better for her. She was so tiny - as a baby, had been hospitalized for failure to thrive - I felt the need to protect her from bad things and surround her only with things that sparkled, glittered or were pink. I thought she was so delicate and fragile. But she fooled me.
I lost that little girl because personal issues interfered with the relationship between her mother and me. It crushed my heart to think I wouldn't have her in my life, but I thought at the time it was the best thing for everyone. I missed seeing her grow up...losing teeth, first boyfriends, heartthrob crushes, first period...those were things I could only imagine her experiencing.
When she was 16, her mother and I patched up our friendship and I reconnected with that girl. She was still little, but she was grown up. Beautiful, intelligent, confident. As I watched her give the toast at her sister's wedding, I realized that even though I missed all those other things, for her, the best was yet to come.
She enlisted in the United States Marine Corps right out of high school. That little firecracker served out country! She has traveled to five foreign countries, made a cross country move, finished her degree and began a successful career as a funeral director. She purchased her own own home and is pretty handy with tools! I get very excited when I learn that she is coming back for a visit because she just makes me smile.
Turns out, you never needed my advice on anything because you, my dear young woman, are kicking ass!
Happy Birthday, Kristina!
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