This is a precious soul.
I admire that she is caring, compassionate, strong willed, and decisive.
I'm celebrating my daughter - Anna - today.
It is her eleventh birthday, and looking back on her other birthdays it sound so cliche, but I wonder where the time has gone.
When did she start sharing my shoes? Riding in the front seat? Forming definite opinions about everything??
I want to tell you what I admire most about my daughter. It's something she has discovered - which I wish that I had discovered much earlier in my life.
As we were driving (we have some of our best talks in the car) we were chatting about friendship. She is the type of person who has just a few very close friends. She is quiet, thoughtful, and loyal. We were talking about qualities in a good friend.
She told me she wants to be the kind of person people WANT to listen to. When I asked her what she meant she said, "You know... for example... at Thanksgiving, mom. When everyone is sitting around the table and talking - before I say something I think to myself, 'Is this REALLY something everyone would want to hear, or am I just talking for no reason?'".
Do you see what kind of a girl she is? I think she is wise beyond her years.
She always has been. She talked early, read early, and always seem very at home with adults.
How did we go from my little ballet princess to a young lady that loves music, reading, and creating just about anything?
For her 11th birthday she has gotten to redo her room... we found this old ballet photo as we were cleaning... I'm learning to cherish each stage of my children's lives, because all too soon my job with them will be done.
Last night as she went to sleep I serenaded her with piano music from her favorite movies {Harry Potter, of course}. It was nearly an hour I played piano, and as I played I thought about the precious years I've had being a mother.
I never could have imagined (on that hot day in July 2001 when I was swollen up as big as a house) what miraculous journey would lay in store for me after the birth of my little girl.
Happy Birthday, Anna.
I'm proud to be your mom.