Your journey to trusting :
"I had to find the confidence within myself, I had to trust myself and my abilities before she would trust me"

Doesn't it seem that just about every rewarding journey in life ends with self awareness?

I similarly have had a problem with trusting others. I moved beyond this by deciding that getting hurt wasn't the worst thing that could happen to me. Life is an adventure. And some people are really worth knowing. But I'll never get to know these people if I'm guarding all the time.

It's lovely to read about your children, and your good relationship with them. I think love is the best foundation for trust :)