And we keep moving on.

[Gerda]

I found this very touching and heart breaking, Irish. She still can't see the truth but she sees glimmers. As a woman, I can definitely feel how much she is longing for you in those lines you included. Sorry if that's is not how we are supposed to think as LBS's, but as a woman reading that, I must say it was palpable to me that she is longing for you in a visceral way -- I don't mean sexually (I mean, I don't know about that in her case of course), but I mean in a soul-way, and that some part of her knows your Goodness and wants to connect with that, even if most of her is still nutty and mean or all the other things she is. My H also often said he didn't fit in but saw it as me controlling everything. It was so ridiculous because all we wanted was him to be our man/dad. I am seven years in and mine still hates me, can't imagine him ever saying those things yours is saying. I think it's strong of you not to tell your girls, I would be tempted but I think you're right not to.