This girl.  My girl.  We just celebrated her eighth birthday and seven years together as a family.  As I write almost every year, I cannot believe how fast the time flies!  How she is eight years old, I have no idea?!  She is so special and brings me so much joy.  She loves big and cares for others.  She loves to leave me little love notes everywhere.  I keep them in a drawer beside my bed, because they are constant reminders of how much God has done in our lives.  He has taught me so much through her.  God knew I needed her.

She is so brave, so smart, so funny, and so cool.  Her creativity astounds me, and her eye for art is so strong!  She becomes more and more independent and mature.  She is developing her own thoughts on life too, and I love hearing about them.  She thinks deeply, and I’m so thankful when she chooses to share those ponderings with me.  She asks tough questions, ones that challenge me and help me to think about life, too.  They always lead to such special discussions.  As she figures herself out and journeys through this crazy life, I am incredibly grateful that I get to walk beside her.

I don’t have all the answers, and I’m relieved I don’t have to have them.  I’m simply glad that I get to be the one who listens and wrestles through life’s big questions with her.  She helps me learn about life and helps me to become a better person.  She challenges me to see things through a different lens.  It’s humbling and stretching, and absolutely amazing.  I hope she always chooses me, because I will always choose her.  I think she is so special.  It’s such a privilege to be her mama.  For better or worse, we are in this together.  Forever.

Happy eighth birthday, my beautiful, precious girl.  I am so very glad that you are mine.  I love you and am so proud of you!  I choose you.  Over, and over, and over again.  Every single day.  Forever and ever.