I can hardly believe I'm writing this. Tomorrow my first baby...a baby I thought I would never have...a baby I prayed desperately for...will be seventeen. Seventeen years old. How is it that I am already on the brink of letting her go? How is it that she has gone from my shy, quiet little blonde-haired girl with huge blue eyes to a bold, fearless, confident young woman? How is it that I'm supposed to pack her up and send her off on her own to college in just one short year? I'm not ready. She is. But I'm not.
The longer I'm a parent, the faster the time goes. You know how I know? Because just yesterday she turned Sweet 16, and I never managed to find time to even blog about that. I vividly remember the day she started high school. I remember getting in the car to head out for my day and instantly fighting back tears as I realized that she would only have three more first days of school. That I would blink and her high school years would be over. I was right. It's gone so fast. I have one year left with her, and I know it's going to be over before I know it. Brace yourselves. I'm going to be a blubbering baby this time next year.
Yesterday I took Mindy to get her driver's license. So, you know, she could drive a car on. her. own. And tonight she drove herself to the high school for a band function. I have to admit, although I'll always be a little anxious when my children are out driving on their own, a bigger part of me was sad to see the beginning of the end of our times in the car, talking and singing and laughing.
The upside of all of these emotions I'm feeling is that I have a daughter who loves family and celebration as much as I do. She won't be the type to bolt out the door and never come back. She doesn't want to miss out on anything. She'll be here for occasions, big and small. As for me, I'll do my best to keep my big ol' tears in check and cherish the memories of when she was small.
p.s. I'll try to dig out some sweet photos of when she was little next week.
p.s.s. Let me know if this page takes a while to load. I may need to reduce the file size.
4 comments:
Enjoy each day. It does go fast. As the mother of four adult children, I can testify to that! You wonder where the years have gone, especially since I stayed so young! That's one reason why we are leaving for China on Wednesday to bring our four year old home. I just wasn't ready to stop being a mommy! And, life is still good after they leave the nest; different, but good. It's a new chapter in the book of their lives. The neat part is seeing how all the pieces fit together as they become the adults God planned them to be!
Oh my! She is just so stunning! Beautiful photos and the light is just perfect. Happy Birthday!
I'm so happy to know Mindy! She is a wonderful teen and your relationship with her gives me hope for what mine with my own girls will be one day.
Mindy, you are stunning. Now stop growing up so fast. The end.
Wow. Seventeen. I can't even imagine what that must be like. My daughter is 7 (almost 8). I'm sure she'll be 17 before I know it. Mindy is a beautiful girl.
BTW, I rented the 24-70 2.8. And, I shot in manual--a couple of times. :)
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