I've done something right

My sweet daughter has often doubted her beauty and will make demeaning comments about her looks. I know that this happens with most teenage girls and as a parent have tried to encourage her and remind her that she is beautiful.... Because she is!

And then last week she said something that made me feel like I had won the Parent Award. And I will share that award with her dad, Joey, and grandparents, and aunts and uncles. Because we all build her self-esteem and tell her how much she us loved and point out her many talents. 

Mikayla told me that if she had cancer tomorrow she would shave her head and not even get a wig. That she sees the beauty and pride that comes from shaving your head and owning that unique beauty. How many 15 year olds would be willing to shave their heads? I hope home would have to because of cancer. But to have the confidence to be able to rock that as a high school sophomore made me feel so happy to know that she really knows that beauty is so much more than hair and that she realizes that she is beautiful. 

We will keep reminding her and our other children that they are amazing, but isn't it wonderful when you know that it has sunk in!

I feel humbled that Mikayla is watching this experience and finding her own joy and strength through this. And I hope that a small part of that is from my inspiration and attacking cancer with a smile. I want her and our other kids and my students to remember most from this my humor through it all and that I am not giving up. This is my life lesson to them!