Melissa
I met my daughter Melissa for the first time when she was six years old. She was reluctant to have anything to do with me, and I had to work hard for her affection. Over time, and with patience, it came. She grew so attached to me, in fact, that her nickname became "barnacle." That really describes Melissa well. She can be quite wary and stubborn, but when she commits to something, it's with her whole heart and with everything she's got.
Melissa does not do anything halfway. It has made her successful at many things, but because she is always striving for perfection and to be the best, I worry that she does not take time to reflect on how well she has done and to be proud of her accomplishments. Never once have I had to remind this kid to do her homework! She has a current GPA of 4.34, and it has earned her early admission to the University of California. She's the captain of the Girl's Volleyball Team, and last year was on the All-City (Los Angeles) team. She's also a senior editor of the yearbook, and volunteers for the Red Cross Club and Project Angel Food.
Outside of those achievements, Melissa is the best cook in the household, and an excellent baker, which we all enjoy tremendously! She's also known to bake cookies or cakes for every one of her friend's birthdays--and she has a lot of friends--so we go through a lot of sugar, butter and eggs in our house! She's also a talented artist and photographer. Somehow she takes the best photos; even if I use her camera, I can't seem to make it work the way she can!
Melissa has always had a natural talent for athletics, which is also something I've never had. She was excellent at karate, and got all the way up to her brown belt. It was cute to hear her shy little "ki-ya!"'s in class, while she was delivering these powerful kicks and punches. The only reason she quit was because she ended up being the only girl in a class full of little boys, and I think she just felt embarrassed about that. When she took up surfing, she did great at that, too. But volleyball was her sport, and she spent several years in a club team, growing as a player, before playing for her high school's varsity team. The two of us had a lot of early mornings and long drives going to volleyball tournaments all over Southern California.
There was a period of about three years when Melissa's older sister struggled with depression, an eating disorder, and substance abuse. It was a very difficult time for our family, and I had to devote a lot of my energy and attention toward dealing with that crisis. I know that Melissa often felt neglected by me during that time, yet she still maintained her focus on her schoolwork and did what she could to support the family.
Melissa has attended the same school since the fourth grade, and has developed a great circle of friends. It has been really nice to watch this group mature over the years. Melissa used to be somewhat fearful of interacting with the world, but this has changed dramatically. Two summers ago, I got her a bus pass, and she and her friends spent a lot of time exploring Los Angeles. Now that they have begun driving, they are even more independent, and Melissa has a very active social life. This summer she got her first job, so she is now earning her own money. It is interesting to watch her balance school, work, volleyball, and her social life, especially during this first semester of 12th grade. So far, I think she's doing a fine job, even though there are some days when it gets to be a little too much, and she takes it out on us!
I don't know what Melissa will decide to do with her life, but I am sure that once she figures that part out, she will devote herself completely to being the best at it. I just want her to be happy. She's certainly worked hard enough for it.
I love this girl.
Melissa does not do anything halfway. It has made her successful at many things, but because she is always striving for perfection and to be the best, I worry that she does not take time to reflect on how well she has done and to be proud of her accomplishments. Never once have I had to remind this kid to do her homework! She has a current GPA of 4.34, and it has earned her early admission to the University of California. She's the captain of the Girl's Volleyball Team, and last year was on the All-City (Los Angeles) team. She's also a senior editor of the yearbook, and volunteers for the Red Cross Club and Project Angel Food.
Outside of those achievements, Melissa is the best cook in the household, and an excellent baker, which we all enjoy tremendously! She's also known to bake cookies or cakes for every one of her friend's birthdays--and she has a lot of friends--so we go through a lot of sugar, butter and eggs in our house! She's also a talented artist and photographer. Somehow she takes the best photos; even if I use her camera, I can't seem to make it work the way she can!
Melissa has always had a natural talent for athletics, which is also something I've never had. She was excellent at karate, and got all the way up to her brown belt. It was cute to hear her shy little "ki-ya!"'s in class, while she was delivering these powerful kicks and punches. The only reason she quit was because she ended up being the only girl in a class full of little boys, and I think she just felt embarrassed about that. When she took up surfing, she did great at that, too. But volleyball was her sport, and she spent several years in a club team, growing as a player, before playing for her high school's varsity team. The two of us had a lot of early mornings and long drives going to volleyball tournaments all over Southern California.
There was a period of about three years when Melissa's older sister struggled with depression, an eating disorder, and substance abuse. It was a very difficult time for our family, and I had to devote a lot of my energy and attention toward dealing with that crisis. I know that Melissa often felt neglected by me during that time, yet she still maintained her focus on her schoolwork and did what she could to support the family.
Melissa has attended the same school since the fourth grade, and has developed a great circle of friends. It has been really nice to watch this group mature over the years. Melissa used to be somewhat fearful of interacting with the world, but this has changed dramatically. Two summers ago, I got her a bus pass, and she and her friends spent a lot of time exploring Los Angeles. Now that they have begun driving, they are even more independent, and Melissa has a very active social life. This summer she got her first job, so she is now earning her own money. It is interesting to watch her balance school, work, volleyball, and her social life, especially during this first semester of 12th grade. So far, I think she's doing a fine job, even though there are some days when it gets to be a little too much, and she takes it out on us!
I don't know what Melissa will decide to do with her life, but I am sure that once she figures that part out, she will devote herself completely to being the best at it. I just want her to be happy. She's certainly worked hard enough for it.
I love this girl.