Daughter of Mine

Dani is leaving for Trek in 6 hours. She's been packed for two days. She's so excited, she can't sleep! She's broken in her hiking boots (bought 'em in March), she's waterproofed her gear (twice), she has wool socks and a Camelback, and most importantly, she has her camera, extra batteries, and plenty of film. Extra batteries; I have succeeded!

Tonight, she marked the final detail off her list:

Braids. Lety and Ligeia came over and did her hair. It took just over 2 hours, but that included taking time out to eat a quick dinner. While braiding, the three of them watched Cinderella (the original animated version). When that was over, they looked at pictures on the computer. It was a fun evening.

I still need to mark the final detail off of MY list: write Dani a letter. She has letters from about a dozen people, and plans to read them when she gets homesick or when she needs encouragement to keep climbing. For someone who usually has no problem putting words on paper, I'm having a tough time with this assignment. There's so much I want to say, but the words in my head are inadequate. She's about to accomplish (for the second time!) something that's on MY "list of things to do before I die". I'm proud of her. She's strong, she's capable, she's energetic, she's fun, she's positive, she's funny, she's inspiring, she's wacky. She's mine.

I'm gonna miss her so much these next two weeks!