Milestone Tears

Today is simply Thursday to most of you, but here in my house, it is officially the day before Senior prom! That means it is the calm before the pre-prom preparation storm! We have the dress, the shoes, the jewelry, and the pedicure; the hair and nail appointments are scheduled...everything seems to be right on track. So why am I so nervous? Almost near tears!? Because tomorrow is not just any formal dance, it isn't even just any senior prom. It is my youngest daughter's senior prom. The final time I get to help prepare one of my daughters in princess-style fashion to set off for a magical adventure. The final time that is before one of their wedding days. While that (we hope) is miles down the road, it is a weird feeling knowing the next time you see one of your daughters dolled up like a princess, she'll be walking down the aisle; ready to start her own family. That is {gulp} BIG stuff. And I can't help but shed a tear of two along the way.

Senior Prom, however, is merely a stepping stone to the next teary event...Graduation Day. Knowing how choked up I got last year when my oldest daughter graduated, Lord knows, it will be a Kleenex kind of day! But those tears will be happy tears. They are milestone tears. I am so proud of her and how far she has come in the past few years. She has always been a strong athlete and her competitive cheer achievements came as no surprise, but now she has really focused in on school and done incredibly well. She has earned great grades and even recognition as a blossoming photographer. She has grown in so many ways. As a student, as an artist, and as a person. She amazes me daily with her new found, mature outlook on life.

So as I approach these new milestone moments, a part of me can't help but miss that chubby, baby hand grasping on to my finger; holding tight for security. There is a time in life when they must let go and brave the world on their own. We all know the day is coming, but somehow when it arrives it seems to have come so quickly. Almost too quickly. But we let go of their hand, move to the sidelines, and continue cheering them on from there. Still close by if they need to reach out for our hand. Only now, as we look down...we realize the hand reaching out...is the size of our own.

enjoy the milestones and grab the Kleenex!

-dw