Strawberry Girl

The days are passing quickly. Soon we'll be counting the hours, then the minutes.
Another chick is soon to leave the nest, and though I once had someone with only one child tell me that it's got to be so much easier for me when the kids leave because I have more than one, that simply is not the case.
Just as each child is an individual, each child holds a place near and dear in my heart. A separate place all their own where I remember the first time I held them, the feel of their fuzzy newborn heads against my shoulder, first foods, first words, first day of school... and on and on.
Just as each of my children is unique, so too is my love for them.
Each one is precious him or herself.


My boys are now grown men, Stephen in grad school and Zachary a senior at Iowa State. Even their leaving each fall still isn't easy. But now my oldest daughter, Sarah, is about to head off to school at UNI. She's going the farthest from home, nearly two hours away.
I know many parents send their kids off across the country or even out of the country for college, but I'm not writing this to try to compare. For us, this is a huge distance, despite how easily it can be traversed.
Sarah is my strawberry girl, an easy baby, always quick with a smile.
She's grown into a lovely young woman, brimming with talent, intelligence, and a zest for life. She's been through a lot in her brief 18 years, but she's never failed to impress me with her resilience and determination.
I not only love my sweet Sarah, I admire her.


Soon our daily laughter, hugs, and sharing will be done via electronics.
And I know we'll both cry a bit as we say goodbye, and likely more once we've parted.
But I have every confidence in her ability to not only survive, but thrive in her independence.
And just as it has with my boys, our relationship will change. But the time has come for us to transition from the parent/child relationship to the parent/adult child relationship.
I know she's ready for this, even if she has doubts.
And despite the miles and the independence, she'll always be my baby.
Forever and for always, my strawberry girl.