Nearly Nine

She's half-cooked. Next week she'll be 9 years old. I was lamenting over the journey being halfway over to J. He turns to me and says, "Well, the good news is that children are living with their parents much longer these days." Sometimes he's funny. Sometimes he tells jokes like that one.

Tonight we were driving and she says, "Mom? Do you know what is weird to think about? How you are standing on the Earth, and how like, small, you are in the whole universe. Its really weird, mom."

C, you are the sweetest little girl. And some days your mommy is too hard on you and expects too much of you. The first 9 years have been so spectacular with you, my baby. I hope you stay just the way you are as you grow and start thinking about the world outside yourself and our family. The lyrics of this song always make me think of you:

{From Sara Groves: Small Piece of You}

I just want a small piece of you
a token to put in my pocket
and I will own that one thing
and it would make me happy
I just want a small piece of you
somethin to put in a locket
and i will look at it daily
and that will make me happy

free to fly free to go free to come back home

I hope that as you grow and move further and further away from me and daddy that you are always, in some sense, my homebody girl that loves being here and being with your family. I know I will forever carry small pieces of you around with me for as long as I live. Thank you for making me a mommy.