happy birthday, girl #1

“Nobody tells you that if you live long enough and if you survive the inevitable stresses and mistakes, the best part of parenting is having your children in your life as adults … your ultimate purpose is to get through the child development years to savor the pleasure of having in your life a magnificent adult with whom you have an excellent relationship … if you’re aware at the beginning how this process works, you can make better choices about the kind of memories you want to end up with.” Lois Haddad

like all moms, i made my share of mistakes while raising this beautiful girl. some big, some little, and some from ignorance. in spite of this, she has grown into an incredibly amazing, smart and self-sufficient woman, who happens to be one of my greatest joys. she has taught me many lessons in life, and will most assuredly continue to do so. like the quote above points out, there is nothing so wonderful as having a good relationship with your adult child. in some ways, no one will ever know you better. i love her more than i ever thought possible and as she carves her path through life, i am so proud to watch and cheer her on.

so – happy birthday, teresa. we love you very much!