I've watched dear friends send their children off to school with great words of wisdom and with prayers that inspire and encourage.  I want to be that Mom — but I never was and I'm still not.  I love my girls fiercely, but I was never good with all the GREAT Mom wisdom.  I spent most of my Mom time messing up as I practiced parenting on them.

There are so many things I wish I could change.  I wish I'd known that babyhood flies by so quickly and those sleepless nights and LONG days don't last forever (even though it can feel that way).  I wish I'd held onto those precious sweet toddler days — but they too are long  gone.  The little girl who has always challenged me at every turn  is ready to fly.

The car is almost packed.  We'll head out on a three hour trip to take her (and a good part of my household) to Mississippi State where she'll start the next chapter of her life.  And I'll come home and start the next chapter of mine.  For the past 25 years I've been a hands on parent with a child under my roof.  That all changes this week.  I'm still the Mom and will always be her and her sister's Mom, but in a new way.   I'll parent from her as she lives over there — three hours away.

I'm sad for me, but I'm thrilled for her.  She's ready to go and I trust that the Lord will protect her and that He has an incredible plan for her life.

As she goes, I pray one thing for her — that wherever she goes, whatever path her life takes, she is ALWAYS in the center of God's will and if she's not in His will He makes her so miserable she'll find her way back to Him.

I look at her bright blue eyes so excited to take on this world. She's a young woman now but I still see the little girl.

Lord protect her — keep her safe.  Walk with her and have Your angels go before her.  She will always be my baby.