People ask me all the time what she is like at home.

Is she really as lovely as she seems? Yes, yes she is.

When I gave birth to my sweet Julia Tirion, I remember them handing her to me. I always thought my babies would have blonde hair, light eyes, and fair skin, just like everyone in my family.

Well, here was this beautiful dark eyed, very dark haired beauty.

When she was four, she started ballet lessons. I grew up a ballerina. I had to work so very hard. I wanted to be center stage and graceful and have all eyes on me when I was dancing. She was an absolute natural. She never practiced outside of class, but she always ended up at center stage. I was shocked when she was seven and told me that she wanted to quit and do basketball instead. She liked to dance, but she hated the recitals. She didn’t want everyone looking at her.

You would think that I’d learn that my children are not going to be carbon copies of me. They might not have any similarities at all, but here we are – years later and I still get surprised.

So, back to the question. What is she like at home? With her, what you see is what you get.

She is confident. She (unlike me) isn’t worried about pleasing everyone. She wants to please God and she would never intentionally hurt anyone’s feelings, but she is honest and knows it is okay to have preferences that are different.

She is funny. She (unlike me) has her dad’s amazing sense of humor. She can say the perfect one-liner at the perfect time that leaves everyone laughing hysterically at the dinner table.

She is kind. She loves so deeply. She wants everyone to know the joy she has found in Jesus. She wants everyone to burn with the same fire in their hearts that she has.

She is a world changer. She will do whatever it takes to show the world His love. Maybe she will travel to Africa. Maybe she will become a cloistered nun. Whatever He asks her to do, she is ready.

I can’t wait to watch it all unfold. Oh, how I will miss it being under my roof, but I’m slowly releasing my grip into His hands.