Tonight I'm hanging out with Erin, watching the American Music Awards. She's rooting for her favorite boy bands (One Direction, 5 Seconds of Summer) and I'm in it for some good music and some time with my girl. We are singing along whenever possible, and there may even be some dance moves happening...
It's an incredibly close relationship that Erin and I have developed. We're both grateful for it, and we're both aware that our circumstances made it this way. If I had two kids to split my time between, it would be different. That's just a fact.
But, we can't change that and we can make the most of what we have. So, we make a point to be kind to each other and to have each other's backs. We root hard for each other and we share an extra little bit of tenderness because the loss of Shannon made the mother/daughter dynamic all that much more poignant.
Now, this doesn't mean that I don't drive her crazy when I ask her repeatedly about how much homework she has. And, it doesn't mean she doesn't drive me crazy when she procrastinates and makes it so I have to bug her about her homework. (See, it's her fault...)
Yes, I am still the mom and she is still the teenager and that creates a certain dynamic. It would be weird if we didn't clash a little bit. But, she's not mean to me and I'm not irritated by her and it's all pretty dang good.
I still consider myself the mother of two, but there's only one who needs me now. Luckily, I like her and she likes me. That eases the burden for both of us. We are doing our best to enjoy the ride we're on, and we're throwing in a few dance moves when we get the chance...
