Thirteen Years

Thirteen years ago today, our world changed forever.

This is for you, Jordan Quinn...
























































































Happy Birthday, my sweet boy...








Thank you for the best thirteen years of my life.

Lump In My Throat

4th grade Nutcracker play.

They have it every year.

I knew she would have a solo.

I knew she had been practicing for weeks in the dining room with her earphones on.

I knew she would be wearing the white tights I bought her.

I knew her hair would be up.

I knew she had a little make up on.

I knew she would be cute.

But what I didn't know...what I wasn't ready for...was this sight:















I snapped away at my camera, trying to balance between documenting her every move...and pulling the camera away from my eye to just...watch her.











She has more poise and confidence at ten years of age than I had at 10, 15, or hell, even now sometimes.

She amazes me.





Take a bow, Baby Girl...




I loved how she would stand when waiting for her turn...and the following photo will be blown up into poster size...asap:





It's funny how, when there is a crowd of children standing in front of you, the face you focus on, the only one from which you cannot remove your gaze, is THAT one.
Here she is, demonstrating why her teacher describes her as somewhat "chatty":


If this night were not incredible already, there was something else that made it even better. My MOM surprised Katie by coming to her play.

Yes, the Mom who lives 3 hours away. On a school night.
Which means, work night.

Backstory:
Over Thanksgiving, Katie had asked her Grandma "Are you coming to my play?"

"Oh, I don't know, honey"

"But you came to see Jordan in the Nutcracker"
(he was the Nutcracker, and it was a huge deal)

"That's true..."

Hmmm. Mom said after that conversation, she knew she would make it happen. Unbeknownst to me. She just walked into the house as I was making ham sandwiches. She had skipped lunch in order leave work early, drove across the state of Florida, and walked into our front door so she could see her Katie dance.

Thank you, Mom. Tears form in my eyes as I think of it.

Katie will remember that forever. So will I.




And of course...there's our Baby Lily Grace. That sweet child sat on her Daddy's lap throughout the entire play, quiet as can be, chewing on a program, and cheering on her cousin. And she wore her pink tutu, just for the occasion.

Oh...how we love this baby.



And I love how many people love my child...

what a lucky girl.