caitlin is down to her finals.
final exams, final concerts, final goodbyes.
the morning she started preschool there were no tears.
she was excited and happy to be on her way - there was no hysterical crying, no tantrums, or leg clinging death grips...on either of our parts. but as she moves thru the milestones of youth toward independence i find that i am wanting to double, and dare i say, triple knot those proverbial apron strings...i just wanna cinch 'em really tight. maybe it's because when she was little i knew that she would always come home to me at the end of the day. now that i'm older and, uh, somewhat wiser, i know there will come a time when she heads out for the last time as she begins school, or moves in with girl friends, or marries some man that i'm not sure will ever be quite worthy of her...and she won't return to me at the end of the day. instead, she'll go home to someone else...and share her stories, and her laughter, and her unique take on life with them. and as much as i know that's how it should be, and even hope it will be, i still don't want it to be.
but they will love her, and she will bless them, and i will miss her, and she will call me when she can, and she will tell me she loves me and misses me too, and that i was the best mother in all the universe, and that she owes me a huge debt of gratitude that she'll never in a million years know how to repay, and that she'll be home for the holidays, and can she borrow my debit card. and then we'll laugh and laugh.
caitlin, we are all so proud of you.
you are beautiful, and funny, and kind, and gracious, and loving, and smart, and always a blessing to our family.
congratualtions pie baby!
you are loved.
