Thankful Thursday #14

With thanks to Iris at Sting My Heart for giving me a chance to stop and be thankful--and for allowing my life to intertwine with so many other women whose grateful hearts encourage mine! Iris quoted Ecclesiastes this week--about ""For everything thing there is a season . . ."

I'm entering a season of letting go. My 20-year-old daughter, Amy, leaves next week for a 9 month mission trip to Nicaragua. It is what I call a "wonderful-horrible" mom moment.

It's wonderful because I know this is the next right step for my daughter. I know she will be right in the center of God's will for her life while she is down in Nicaragua.

And it is horrible because I love my daughter dearly and I will miss her every minute of every day she is gone, with every beat of my heart.

Today I am thankful for my daughter, Amy because:

• her courageous spirit challenges me to live without fear
• she has a sweet, merciful spirit. This is my child who said, "I love everybody's eyes, Mom. Even bats' eyes!"
• she chose her relationship with her dad and I over a tattoo. Need I say more?
• she may not keep her room neat, but then again, neither do I. But she has an amazingly creative ability. Just ask her art teacher!
• she lives life outside the box--following where God is leading her. Yes, that is scary for me--but it also makes me very, very proud.
• she has "emerald-sapphire" eyes--a beatiful blend of my green eyes and her dad's blue eyes. How fun is that?
• she embodies one of my favorite sayings: She is living her life out loud.
• she laughs with me, not at me, and she sings along with the radio with me and her sisters--there's nothing like a Mom and daughters car duet to make your day!
• she is willing to say, "I'm sorry" and she doesn't hold a grudge.
• she is a loyal friend--sticking with you through thick and through thin.

It's one thing to realize, "Wow, I'm so blessed to have such a wonderful daughter!" It's another thing to realize, "Wow--I'd be blessed to be my daughter's friend."

My daughter Amy is an amazing young woman--and I am blessed to be her mom. I hope I've earned the right to be her friend.