Molly's Nine

Molly,

A friend told me earlier this year that nine-years-old marks the halfway point to your time living in our home as a child. After my heart started beating again, I immediately told her to never mention that to me again if she wished to remain friends. Ha.

I think that as my oldest, I will always worry the most about you. Was I too young, or poor, or selfish when this perfect, tinier version of you was placed in our loving care? There are so many ways that you have grown me in to a mother and unfortunately, some of them were not always through my proudest of motherly attributes. We've weathered some storms, Miss Mouse. This year was not always the tender, gentler, moments of the past. Lots of new arrived by ways of hormones, drama, lip-gloss and Taylor Swift. For the first time, some challenges of childhood couldn't be fixed with a princess band-aid or a silly face to make you laugh. Still my little girl but this year somehow wiser, wittier, more aware. For the first time, my role as Mom was to take the backseat as a supporter, while you tackled a challenge head-on or sought to resolve some sort of change.

You are growing in to this beautiful little woman with a heart for conviction and a fierce love of family. Every single day, I see little glimpses of the older versions of yourself and my heart beats faster. This is my time. My time to pour my love in to you, help you to see that beauty comes in adversity, that having a voice can be your most powerful asset and that you are so beautifully and wonderfully made. So even if you have arrived at our "half-way mark" (for whatever that me means), I am all to aware of the joy to come in the back half. Honestly, I can't wait for it all.

You are mine to love for always. How did I get so very lucky?

Here's to a day celebrating the bright, loving, funny birthday babe you are.

Love you so,
Mom



Molly's NINE from Julie May on Vimeo.