Daddy Mon

The last post stirred up all kinds of memories of adopting Melina. I wrote this four years ago to put on my web site, written from what I thought would be Melina's perspective. She did call me Daddy Mon then.

My Daddy Mon
Copyright@ February 4, 2001

He needed a little girl, my Daddy Mon, but he didn't know it at first. Although he is pretty smart, he's not perfect, and we all give him some 'slack' as my Grandad says. I'm not sure what 'slack' is but Grandad says Daddy Mon has always needed a lot of it. Grandad IS very smart, so I guess he does not need so much 'slack.' Granna just smiles at them both like she never needs any, she's so smart.

Anyway, before I ever met Daddy Mon, Grandad or Granna, Daddy Mon had Yawni, a little boy. Yawni is very nice for a boy, but there are some things boys just cannot do or even be. They try, but it's just not Godly possible. My Aunt Sara told me that. For instance, Yawni can't say Melina very well. He calls me Leeeeena. I, so far, have let him get by with it, even though my name is Melina Jane McCormick, and names are important. He's got a funny upper lip, and that could be the reason. Or maybe it's because he's only two. As Daddy Mon says about a lot of things, 'one never can tell.' I wonder why one never can tell?

Yawni and I are alike in one way though. Our mothers are angels. How did that happen, you ask? Well, our mothers died and went to Heaven to be like the angels. They are not angels of course, since they were born human, but they are LIKE angels. It's hard to explain, but Daddy Mon has tried and tried.

Yawni's mother died just before he was born. That's hardest of all to explain, but that's another story. My mother died not long along, and she told me this story I'm trying to tell you here. She was very sick, you see, and she wanted to be sure I understood the story before she had to go and before Jesus called her the last time to come to live with him where she would not be sick any more. She was like that. I didn't get to be with her much in my life, but I knew that about her. She liked to finish what she started. Her name was Teresa.

So...

Teresa told me that Daddy Mon lived with Yawni in a big house with no little girl at all. Can you imagine? They had a nice house but it was full of boy stuff and the colors were mostly brown and some color called beige. Yuck! This story could get sad if I let it. All they ever did for fun besides watch ball games on TV and educational 'stuff' was go for walks, looking for bugs. Can you imagine? It's a good thing they love each other and weren't bored to death. They did sing some and play piano. I forgot about that. They also went to church, but I have not yet decided if that is fun or just important. Granna says 'time will tell.'

Back to the story. Daddy Mon and my mother met one day, another story for another time. When my mother knew she would have to go to be with Jesus she wanted to find me a good family so I would be happy on earth until I could go to be with Jesus. At first, she was thinking of the usual family... you know, a mother and a father. But that was before she met Daddy Mon. What changed her mind? Well, she told me the secret there. She said Daddy Mon loved me more than anyone else but her, and he needed me.

That about cinches it for me. Don't you love the word 'cinches?' That's another word Grandad uses a lot. I may not be very old, but I know what love means ....and need. I really know about need. One time, I needed my first daddy but he could not come to me. My mother needed medicine and doctors and hospitals, and she had no money. She needed someone to take care of me so she called the 'state.' I don't remember much about them, but Daddy Mon says that's OK, that no one remembers much about the first couple years.

Before you get tired, I'll tell you the end. (Sometimes Daddy Mon reads the end of the book before he is supposed to... :) Don't tell anyone).

I saw Daddy Mon and he saw me when I was only a few months old. He's been around since then, but only recently did my mother tell me how much he needed me. If I had known, I would have gone home with Daddy Mon earlier. I really love Daddy Mon. But this story has a happy ending, or is it a beginning? It gets confusing.

Anyway, I am with Daddy Mon and Yawni now in that big house. My bed room is pink and white with many other colored things in it, and there's a colored high chair in the kitchen and ... well, I could go on forever but I'm sure you get the idea. And let me tell you, the routine around that house has changed too! Bugs are OK but it's not my favorite thing to do. Sometimes we watch 'Rug Rats' on TV. I don't care if they don't like Angelica's bossiness. The meals have improved a lot at lunch time. I don't have the time to tell you what they used to eat for lunch. Ugh. Daddy Mon has learned about girl's hair and girl's clothing and dollies. That was very important. Mine is named 'Dollie Me' and she likes living with Daddy Mon and Yawni too.

I really need to go now, but before I do, let me finish the story. The very best part of this story is that Daddy Mon has me and my love. I hug him every night at least once before prayers and bed time. I hug Yawni too, but he doesn't know much yet. I watch Daddy Mon to be sure that he is happy. If he looks the least bit sad, I do something funny. He says I'm funny as a tub of monkeys. I do what he calls 'priss around' a lot, and we all laugh a lot. Maybe that's what my mother meant when she said my Daddy Mon needed me. I like to laugh too! :)

I'm going now. We all are going to church, and I'm sure Daddy Mon will let me and Yawni ride on his shoulders some. It's really not hard taking care of Daddy Mon. Yawni and I take turns and Jesus helps and there you go! As Daddy Mon tells people, 'have a good day in the Lord.' Bye now.