Oh this sweet girl. My firstborn. My Julia.

Months ago, a groupon came across for a trip to the Nutcracker. I grabbed two tickets and marked it on the calendar. It was the perfect Saturday afternoon.

She got to pick where we ate lunch – the Olive Garden. She poured over the menu and asked the waiter about the different pastas.

When we walked into the Orpheum Theater in downtown Phoenix, we were both in love. It looked like a castle inside. We watched the ballet, drank hot chocolate together at intermission, and had an amazing time.

It’s so hard for me to believe that she’s in high school now. She is taller than I am. Her math homework is harder than any math I ever took in college. She is kind and confident and so full of God’s love. I know her future is bright and lovely. She is my constant helper. She has been a lifesaver during this pregnancy and has never once complained. She covers me in prayer and kind deeds.

I just love this girl.

It was hard to turn the camera over to Brian and be in front of the camera, but I’m so glad I did.

Moms, this time goes by so quickly. Having a toddler at home, I know the days can seem so long. You count the minutes and hours until bath-time and you are thankful just to make it until someone gets home to relieve you.

You celebrate when there hasn’t been any tantrum before lunch and your kitchen appears to still be mostly tidy.

But then you blink.

The hard parts get further and further apart. The good parts involve more laughter and stories.

And then, they get busy. Their lives begin to fill up with their activities. You relax a little knowing that things are going to be different – maybe not easier – the problems might be bigger than flushing the toy down the toilet – but you relax anyways.

Oh, it’s good. Take hope, mammas.

(I’m saying this to myself, too. Days are long. But this time – I get to know what is on the other side. And it is good.)