Another milestone

Tonight, at 7:46, my oldest baby turned eight.

It seems unfathomable that so much time has elapsed.

She is the one who gave me the title, "mother."  She is the one who taught me the meaning of sleepless nights, made my a heart burst with so much love I just couldn't take it, and helped me understand the pure joy of bringing a new life into this world.

Reflecting back on these eight years, I've come so far. I learned more than I ever could have imagined from her, my mommy-friends and the life my husband and I forged with our new family.

I gave up my high school teaching career. At the time, I was torn. I wanted so much to continue to teach the students I had grown to love, but I also longed to stay by my daughter's side. Ultimately, the sleepless nights decided for me.

I couldn't have been happier.

We now are a family of four.

I have two precious little girls who make my life exciting, stressful and beautiful all at the same time. I wouldn't trade that for the world.

What I didn't expect was to have been on the cusp of a new career.

A journalism job literally fell into my lap when my oldest was just a year old. It was not a huge time commitment, and I was excited to get out of the house to interview other adults from time to time. It was perfect. I taught journalism at the high school, so eventually the paper called me to the copyediting side.

I have been blessed with numerous opportunities to use my writing and photography skills over the past seven years. I am looking forward to new opportunities in this second career - eight years after giving up my first to take on the best job I will ever have - raising up my daughters.

Happy eighth birthday, oldest little!