Ah, happy woman. I didn't know I'd ever see another day when I'd get a "delightful afternoon" twice in the SAME afternoon. Sweet!

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Income tax refund soon. Bummer of taxes owed to state, but oh, well. Actually, I'd better haul my hiney down to the post office before midnight to mail that off. Gack.

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Mercedes and I have had the Changing Body talk. We've had the Drugs and Alcohol talk. We've had the Don't Pick Out a Boyfriend Yet/Find Out What You Like First talk. We've had the Sex talk. And we've had the Dirty Words and What They Mean talk.

I think we need to have a Start Thinking About What You Want To Do With Your Future talk.

I've been thinking a lot (midlife crisis deal? maybe) about what I could have done with my life. I mean, if I had really believed my mom, I bet I COULD have done anything I wanted. I can see it in myself now, and not to say that I'm unhappy with my life (because I'm not), but I've got a whole other set of people to think about. I have to think about how my decisions will affect the other members of my family.

I want to tell her that having a family is the best thing that has happened to me, and it might be the best thing that happens to her. However, I also want to say that it would be good for her to do what she wants to do first. Choose a direction in life, let it lead her where it will. Let herself become her adult self with a strong personality that's mostly done developing. THEN, once she knows who she really is, THEN she should think about starting a family. That way, she'll already be the person she was meant to grow into, and whoever she chooses to spend her life with will know what they're getting into.

This is what I've learned my dad: We, as parents, have the honor to pass on what we've learned, and the duty to hope some of it sticks. Thanks, Dad. I mean it.

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the last trail...the next path