There goes my life...

It may seem as though you never see much of Taya. We don't either these days. Taya is an amazingly undemanding, easy going, fun loving, on the go, with her girlfriends, chronic sleep over, webkinz playing, bathing suit wearing kind of gal. So, for the last month she has BUSY. Makes it difficult to post a ton of pics of her. I have told her that mommy and daddy really miss her and so we are going to have "Taya Day" in the next couple of weeks. I love her role in our family. I have said often of her that God always knew Taya would be a middle child. She so fits the role. Her personality is simply lovely. I can't wait to write all about her.

This post is about Brielle aka. "Birdelle", "laylee" (Demi's version of Brielly). Over the last month I feel like every morning I wake up and she has changed. I'm not joking. I will take a picture of her and a week later I will take another and she looks more grown up. It reminds me of baby growth spurts. You put a pair of pants on them and then the following week you put on those same pair of pants and in a weeks time they have become "high waters". I'm watching this happen in every area of her life. I feel like I am not ready in so many ways.

Yesterday Erik and I took her to the mall. A brief reprieve from her grounding that she is currently on. With only a week of grounding to go, an massive attitude improvement and $80 of babysitting money in hand...she was thrilled. We picked a meeting spot and drilled every parental rule into her head in 5 minute lecture form. You know the ones like, "you don't need to spend every dime. In fact save half of your money" and "even if they are a mall employeees you aren't allowed to speak to any males between the ages of 8 and 80" or "if you step one foot outside of this mall your new grounding will be for 60 days which translates to your whole life in teenager". Once Erik felt we had all bases covered we parted ways so we could go to our movie. As she walked away Erik said this and I could have bawled instantly. "There goes my life".

When Brielle was little Kenny Chesney came out with that song and I always thought of us when I heard it and thought it would be a good fit for a wedding dance for her and her dad. All of the sudden 13 years flashed in front of my face and I realized how fast this is all going. It seems like we are in the thick of parenting her and I stay so focused on what is on my heart to teach her. But that little moment has reminded me to slow it down as much as possible and enjoy all the moments I can over the next few years.

Things we remind Brielle:
1. Honor God
2. Honor your parents
3. Honor yourself
4. Honor your body

Things I remind myself:

1. Hold your ground on things that matter
2. Hold your tongue on things that don't
3. Hold onto the moments because they pass so quickly
4. Hold her often because she is always your baby

Brielle, I wish I could bundle up all the love that daddy and I have for you so that you could feel it every moment of every day. I promise you this is the some of the hardest times of life. Keep growing...I'll hold on.