As easy and pleasant as it could have been.

I had just turned 13, my parents were divorced and we lived with my dad, visiting my mom across country for the summers. I am so glad I got my period in July. I realized that I was growing armpit hair, took a shower and shaved them off. Got out of the shower and got dressed, and felt wierd, damp, and checked my drawers to find out that I was bleeding.
I'd been waiting for my period for a while so I was kind of excited. I found a pad under my moms sink, and waited for her to come home from work. And we went pad shopping.
The best part was my younger brother was teasing me non-stop, and my mom silenced him with "Wait until you get your period." And until I started laughing, he was seriously concerned.
It's funny now how freaked out I was every month buying pads, I'd fling them into the shopping cart and spend the rest of the trip studiously ignoring the cart, and if the check out clerk was a boy, I'd try to pretend that I was actually with the family behind us and what not.