Blessed by association.

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Photo credit: Marilyn Diaz @ marilyndays.com 

So, I have this daughter. She's kind of wrecked my world.

Two weeks ago, her brothers and I attended a week-long church camp where she is employed for the summer, nestled beautifully in the Santa Cruz mountains. The first encounter I had with one of her co-workers was her looking at me, taking a moment, and then saying (excitedly), "You must be Patch's mom!!!" (Patch is Emily's summer camp name)

This sentiment isn't new to Emily. She started hearing it in High School, along with the comment that we could be sisters (which isn't a bad thing for her mom, mind you!). She would role her eyes every time someone would make any reference to us looking alike. Someone once tried to bridge the gap by saying, "It's a compliment, Emily. Your mom is beautiful." Her response..."I want to be my own kind of beautiful."

I get it. I respect it. I even admire it.

Over the course of our week at Mount Hermon, she heard it multiple times, by multiple people. "Wow! You guys look so much alike!" "Are you Emily's sister?!" Perhaps she would share with you that it doesn't bother her anymore...that it's starting to grow on her....and that, perhaps, she even likes it. A mom could only hope.

Here's the thing....her mama LOVES it.

But not for the reasons you might think.

Sure...the older you get, the nicer it is to have people think I'm younger than I really am (side note: it has not always been a nice thing!), but the real reason I love it is because it swells my heart to have people know me as HER MAMA. To have people look at me and KNOW that she is mine.

I am blessed by association. <3

I can't begin to express how proud I am of her. Of who she is...Of whose she is...Of who she is going to be...Of the journey she is on...And that I was given the glorious privilege of being her mom. It's often overwhelming...to the core.

This isn't to say that things are perfect. Quite the contrary. We've struggled. I made mistakes. She took on more than any child/teen should have had to. She watched me collapse on the floor in panic when life seemed to be falling apart. We butted heads for many years. She was my 'saving grace' for many years, when I had hope in nothing else. She is responsible for bringing me back to church.

She is brave. She is fragile. She is gracious. She is talented. She is a learner. She is vulnerable. She yearns to live...and live large. I could go on.

So here it is....

With every, "You look alike", I bask in the knowledge that God - for whatever glorious reason- gave her to me (temporarily).

With every "You could be sisters", I bask in the understanding that God has worked through our relationship to bring us back to Him.

And no matter how far she travels from home, I will rest in the assurance that people see HER when they see ME. That is a precious thought. <3