I'm A Big Girl Now!

When my daughter, Brina, was about 4 to 5 years old, she shouted to an entire restaurant that she did not want to share my meal with me anymore because... "I am a big girl now and want my own meal all to myself!" Our family has never let her live that down and we remind her at odd times (like in her Senior High School Yearbook) of that very declaration of independence! She's almost 25, now, and we still tease her about that episode from time to time. She takes it very well and tolerates us good naturedly. When I look at her now, I'm always reminded of what a fierce, brave little girl she was and how she's grown up to be a proud, independent, courageous, young woman. I guess every mom wants to protect their children, epsecially their daughters, but at the same time we want them to become self confident and able to defend their beliefs in a world where woman's rights are still evolving. Brina might be short in stature, at only 5'1, but she's the tallest person I know when it comes to compassion and intelligence.
When she graduated from High School and headed off to University, my world changed. She is my youngest, so not only did I have to experience the dreaded empty nest syndrome but also the loss of my best friend and shopping buddy. I was devastated for a while when she left, but I certainly wanted her to become an idependent person. I would not hold her back, that's for sure. Not only did she leave the state, she left the country for her University experience...Canada! From a far, I watched her grow into a self confident world traveler, able to hold her own in a world that could be pretty scary and down-right dangerous at times.
Brina came home for my birthday this year... The first time in several years. That was the best present of all! We shopped, talked, did girlie-things like mani/pedicures at a local day spa, and we celebrated being together again. I taught her how to wire-wrap stones to make a pendant. We had such a great weekend and I was reminded all over again about how lucky I am to be a parent and have such great kids! Her dad and I really accomplished a lot and always admire each one of the kids for their gifts and contributions to the world. When you're in the thick of parenthood and each day is a challenge you sometimes take your kids' company for granted. But now when they do come home for a visit, you stop and take a close look... Only to realize that they have grown up and yourself along with them... She is a big girl now... and I'm oh so proud.