What a short run...her senior year.

The ruffled hair bouncing around her face. The pink Cinderella dress I thought she would never stop wearing. The endless hairbands around her wrists and ankles. Trying to find "soft pants that don't rub my waist, momma." Certain Ked shoes that Clayton's Shoe Store only carried. Bright colored coats, backpacks and gloves. Humming while doing homework or playing. Jumping on the trampoline until exhausted. Painting her friends fingernails. Teaching her imaginary class in her bedroom. Clothes from Limited Too. I can still see that little girl walking down the hall for her first day of kinder garden. She wore a black Gap dress with a matching headband. We curled her hair on the pink sponge rollers and it literally was going everywhere...she did not like it combed when taken down....so we did not comb it. Her picture from that day is one of my favourite. I remember her teacher telling me how Grace hummed during quiet time and how soothing it was. I remember when she turned a cartwheel in class because she forgot she couldn't. The red sparkly shoes her aunt gave her....I became the mother of the girl who wears the Dorothy shoes to school. She still sings and paints her nails with bright colors. Her clothes are different than others. Her jewelry....who knows. Her hair still everywhere..usually a messy bun or perfectly straight with a slight curl. Her room smells of pink perfume. Everything in it's place. I'm not sure how we have come to this time...it has been such a short run. I'm going to cherish every inch of this time. Listen longer. Soak it all in. Realizing this time, next year....she will be packing her stuff...organizing her plan....coordinating her colors and going off to college. My, it has been a short run. I have not even lost my breath....until now.