Gone too Soon

Today a young girl came into the store where I work to have her Passport Photo taken "Man I look stupid" I heard her say, so I enquired as to what it was she didn't like, having taken many many passport photos I thought hers was well above average.

I hate having my hair behind my ears she said and yes I did actually agree that having her hair tucked back was stupid but it did not make her look stupid. My ears did not have to poke out on my old passport she told me and we got chatting about where she had been.

"I've been to lots of places but my best holiday was when I went to America with my Mum & Dad for five weeks." Wow I said you are very lucky where do you think you might go with your new passport is Mum planning a holiday.

"No my mum's dead"

Well I was quite shocked and saddened, I told her that I was very sorry and that no young child should have to live without their Mum, then Nana said her step mum is getting a new passport.

Naturally I said well that will be nice to go away and have time with your family.

"Oh they are not my real family she married Dad then he died"

Well by now I am close to tears this wee girl would be no more than 9 or 10 years old and has lost both her parents and now lives with her step-mother (whom it turns out is a wonderful lady) and is very matter of fact about having lost both her parents.
 "Dad has gone to visit Mum so they can finish being together"

It got me thinking about how my husband and I have yet to organise our 'Wills" and although we have both sat down and had a very forthright conversation about our deaths and our funerals down to details such as having a portion of our ashes turned into Life Gems, who is going to be responsible for our daughter if we both die and what will happen to all our stuff / money, we are yet to sit down and formalise anything in writing with our Lawyer.

It is on my to do list over the holiday break so I can get it typed out and emailed to the Lawyer to be drawn up formally. I want to know that I will be leaving my daughter behind in caring hands.

Am I the only sliding into the forties mother to have left it this long?