Cadet, always the truth, the right? I just tell her the truth in a way she can understand and not get hurt. My biggest fear was my ex treating D the way he treated me. I prayed he wouldn't do that to his own D. It's painful watching it. It destroyed my self-esteem and worth and made me feel unloved by him. I have to do what I can to make sure that doesn't happen to her. I am no perfect parent by anymeans and can mess up, but I always apologize and remind her of everything great about her. Yes, hate to bring him up again, but D thought exNG was great and would compare him to her father and was genuinely amazed and I think relieved when she saw how a father-figure can be kind and non-judgemental to a little girl like her. It's a must-have quality for any man who enters our lives in the future.
Just want to thank you all for being there for me while I have been struggling. It has not been an easy last 2 months. My head has been messed up forgetting things and just not keeping everything together as well as I normally do. I have been quite absent-minded and overwhelmed. Just too much going on. It hasn't been affecting my work in general, but I made 2 little mistakes yesterday (nothing big, I named a file something silly, and something else) and my boss laughed and said "You really do need this vacation!" She is the best boss ever, actually. I said I sure do. I hope this trip is the rest button I so desperately need and I come back clear-minded.
