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You came into our room during the wee hours of the morning. You’d had a bad dream and wanted your mama. I held you tight and stroked your hair until the tears dried and you’d fallen back to sleep.

In those moments, I couldn’t help but pray you’d never be too old to want your mama.

Because in my heart, you’ll never be too old to curl up next to me so I can comfort you and chase the bad dreams away.

You’ll never be too old to cry on my shoulder when things get sad or vent your frustrations when you’re mad.

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You’ll never be too old to confide in me all the things on your heart that you’re not ready to speak out loud to anyone else.

You’ll never be too old for me to encourage you to go as far as your feet will take you or rein you in just before you’ve gone too far.

You’ll never be too old for me to grieve along with you when one door closes or celebrate with you as the next one opens.

And you’ll never be too old to be the daughter I love unconditionally and pray for on the daily that God will guide your steps and protect you on your journey.

All too soon, you’ll be a strong, independent woman. I know you won’t need me, but I pray you’re never too old to want your mama. Because I love you, and I’m here for it.

This post originally appeared on Faith Family & Beef 

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Terryn Drieling

Hi, I’m Terryn. I grew up on a northeast Nebraska feed yard with pens of cattle as my backyard. That is where I fell in love with raising beef. So when I went off to college in the big city of Lincoln, NE, I focused my studies on animal science with the goal of one day becoming a feed yard manager. While at UNL, I met my never-boring, always-entertaining husband, Tom. After earning my degree in 2006, we moved out to the panhandle of Nebraska where I took a job on the animal health crew of a local feed yard. I loved my job, so-much-so that I would argue I never actually worked. Over the course of the next seven years Tom and I got married, welcomed a son and then a daughter, and I continued loving my life and career. I couldn’t imagine life any other way. But then, God inserted a plot twist into our story… And I am so thankful for His twist because I am happier than I have ever been doing things I never thought I’d do. I am now a stay-at-home-mom and ranch wife who has discovered new passions in photography and writing/blogging. Faith Family & Beef where I share my story as a wife, mother, lover of coffee, and dabbler in photography – living in the Nebraska Sandhills, bringing up a family while raising beef. Follow along on my blog: https://www.faithfamilyandbeef.com/

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