I had flash backs of you sitting in the shopping cart, barely 2 years old, asking me what everything was in the grocery store. I could still see you putting everything you thought fancy on yourself, tippy toeing in front of the mirror and smiling so big that you eyes turned into just slits. I could hear your tiny voice asking me to read your favorite book (at the time), "Love You Forever" again and again and asking me if you'd always be my baby. Whenever I walk pass that same path to school, I would picture the very pregnant me holding your hand singing that song we made up "I am walking with my favorite girl" and waving good morning to the "Praising Jesus Tree".
I was watching you dancing on stage in front of a crowd last weekend, looking so confident and full of smile and I thought when did that same girl become taller and stronger than me?
I used to braid your hair every morning. When did you start putting up your own hair?
The other day, I dug out a bag of your clothes when you were in Kindergarten. I took out your favorite pink princess t-shirt and stared at it in disbelief. Were you once this tiny? You are sharing my clothes and shoes NOW!
I started calculating how many handful of years are left before you head to college. How many nights do I have left to hug you and tell you that I love you?
I have to say that I don't love your brother any less. For I have already cried about him going to college when he was in 2nd grade. When he leaves home, I probably would see a grin on his face, ready to conquer the world.
You are my girl, who wrote she wanted to live with mom and dad forever in 1st grade.
Before you speed up your growth any further, I want to know as much about you as possible and to capture how God has grown you. I want the two of us to take a moment every day to write each other a short letter in this Me & Mommy journal, sharing our thoughts. Each day, I am eager to see what you've written. I love it when you ask a question about me ("what's your favorite candy?" "what would you do if..."), share a story you've heard from Sunday school or even draw a picture in the journal.
After baking a cheese cake for uncle T during our mom-and-daughter date last weekend, you suggested that we each do an acrostic poem with the other person's first name and pasted them on the last page of the journal. I had lots of fun and laughs seeing what you thought of me and got to encourage you through my poem of you. Moments with you are treasures.
For convenience, we put this journal on the kitchen counter. Isn't it funny that your little sister who became quite a good reader this year would monitor how disciplined we have been and remind us whose turn it is to write? And just a week ago, you overheard JJ murmured to herself, "5 pages written, good!"
My girl, I meant to tell you that while your desire of living with mom and dad forever warmed my heart, I pray that your desire will be to be a faithful follower of Christ, to love Him and to live in His house in eternity.
While we are still on earth, this is my commitment to you as your mother:
I'd love you forever
I 'd love you for always
As long as I am living
My baby you'd be
~~"Love You Forever"
~~"Love You Forever"