Serendipitous Girl

 As I observe my little sister, a combination of adoration and envy washes over me. After an evening of floating in our pool, my nephew is peacefully sleeping in her arms. You can sense his pleasant contentment without worry or concern. I glance at Jayde, fondly remembering those days. Recalling the moments when her only care in the world was driving her Barbie car around our back yard.  When our children are young, we hold onto them simply because we can. Letting go is a gradual process. I remember the ritual with Brady. Now, Jayde is on the verge of eighteen, I find it difficult to believe this is where we are in our journey with her. I realize baby steps are necessary at this juncture. Not just for me but also for her. Last weekend, she slept over at a friend's house. A milestone in many ways. Around 11:30, I received a text, "I miss you." When she arrived home Sunday afternoon, I received a hug, and an "I missed you" whispered in my ear. It felt good to be m...

Yesterday was the usual: a doctor’s appointment (this time for me, woohoo!), dinner out with my Baby Girl, then a little shopping. Jayde-Rhiannon wanted to take her bargain-shopping queen-of-a-mamma to Marshalls. After two hours and a basket full of treasures, we were done. No, I am not going to divulge the total. Jackson has yet to see the receipt, but every item was necessary, and we saved a lot of money. Of course, during our shopping escapade, we could not forget our furbabies. Jayde and I were so excited to find a cute little scratching post for our feline zoo. Especially, since the seven-foot tower in our living room, the corner of our custom-made sofa, and a few door frames are not merely sufficient to sharpen the tiny daggers on their adorable paws. Every day with the Jackson Pride is an adventure. For the most part, all of them are cute, fluffy extensions of our family, and we spoil them whenever we can. Every cat was enthralled with the new toy. After witnessing their enthusi...