Free shipping on all orders over $75🎄

I watch her as she sits on the back porch, laughing with her friends. She pushes her long, dark hair behind her ear and talks excitedly. She smiles easily at her friends and it lights up her face. She shines bright in this world—this daughter of mine. She is filled with joy and wonder and adventure. She is an encourager and always finds a way to help the hurting. She is a spitfire and a force to be reckoned with . . . strong, confident, and brave. She is everything I have ever wanted in a daughter.

Sigh.

She will be 11 in a couple of days.

I am just now realizing how significant this birthday is and it has caught me by surprise. I knew turning 10—double digits—was a milestone and turning 13 when you are officially a teenager. But I am finding that 11 is a bigger milestone than I thought.

11 is teetering between childhood and womanhood and it is not easy balancing between both. Playing with Barbie dolls one minute and wanting to wear make-up the next. Holding my hand one minute and then quickly running off when she sees her friends. It is wanting to curl up in my lap but demanding her independence. It is a hard transition for both of us as we manage this tumultuous relationship of hanging on and letting go.

I continue to watch her and realize that she has changed so much this past year and I hardly recognize her. When did my little girl start looking more like a teenager? No longer does she have a baby face and she is almost as tall as I am now. How did we get here—11—so quickly?

She continues to laugh with her friends as they sing and dance across the patio. She is carefree and happy and I can’t help but to smile as I watch her. Her joy is contagious.

11 is me holding her close and knowing that these childhood moments are fleeting. I never know when it will be the last time she holds my hand or asks me to braid her hair or sleeps with her stuffed animals . . . but I know it is coming as we walk this tightrope between being a child and becoming a woman.

11 is needing me less and less. So, I am going to savor every minute with her. I will soak up all her excitement as she tells me about her day. I will cherish the fact that she still wants to go see a movie with me. I will hold her tight & breathe in her scent when she climbs in bed with me each morning and curls up against me.

11 is knowing that these carefree childhood days will soon fade away and it won’t be long before we are full on in the teen years. We will be trading in Barbies, slime and cartwheels for dating, driving and dances. The worries will be bigger and I know hugs won’t solve all her problems like they do now. This change is coming and it is hard on this Momma’s heart. It is a bittersweet time.

She looks over and catches me watching her. Her smile widens as she waves at me and I find myself grinning at her enthusiasm. Her beauty shines from within and she just makes my heart happy. How I wish I could just slow down time and always keep her this carefree and happy and innocent. . .

I close my eyes and pray she always knows how much she is loved and treasured and adored. I pray she always knows that we are her biggest fans and loudest cheerleaders. I pray she always knows she is worthy and valuable and that the prettiest thing she can wear is a smile. I pray she always chooses kindness and continues to spread her joy. I pray she always knows she is the daughter of the King and she is wonderfully made. She is one of my greatest gifts, this 11-year-old daughter of mine, and I thank God every day for giving me the privilege of being her mother.

11 . . . I’m going to teeter on this tightrope and walk with her on this journey. I’m going to hold her hand when she lets me. And I’m going to stand back and watch her spread her wings when she’s ready to fly.

Psalm 139:14

Originally published on the author’s page

You might also like:

Dear Mom, This Is What I Need You To Remember Now That I’m a Teenager

The Kids May Be Grown, But Mom Is Still Their Home

Dear Daughter, Remember This About Me When You Become a Mother

Want more stories of love, family, and faith from the heart of every home, delivered straight to you? Sign up here! 

So God Made a Mother book by Leslie Means

If you liked this, you'll love our new book, SO GOD MADE A MOTHER available now!

Order Now

Heather Duckworth

I am a wife & mother to 5 awesome kids, 4 on earth and 1 in Heaven. From having triplets, to losing a child to cancer, to adopting – I have experienced about every joy, challenge & heartache of motherhood. I often write about family, faith & the crazy chaos that is my life.

Brothers Fight Hard and Love Harder

In: Kids, Motherhood
Two boys play outside, one lifting the other on his back

The last few years have been a whirlwind. My head has sometimes been left spinning; we have moved continents with three boys, three and under at the time. Set up home and remained sufficiently organized despite the complete chaos to ensure everyone was where they were meant to be on most days. Living in a primarily hockey town, the winters are filled with coffee catch-ups at the arena, so it was no surprise when my youngest declared his intention to play hockey like his school friends. Fully aware that he had never held a hockey stick or slapped a puck,...

Keep Reading

Stop Putting an Expiration Date on Making Memories

In: Kids, Motherhood
Mother and son in small train ride

We get 12 times to play Santa (if we’re lucky). This phrase stopped my scroll on a Sunday evening. I had an idea of the direction this post was going but I continued on reading. 12 spring breaks 12 easter baskets 20 tooth fairy visits 13 first days of school 1 first date 1-2 proms 1-2 times of seeing them in their graduation cap and gown 18 summers under the same roof And so on and so on. It was essentially another post listing the number of all the monumental moments that we, Lord willing, will get to experience with our...

Keep Reading

When Your Kids Ask, “Where Is God?”

In: Faith, Kids
Child looking at sunset

How do I know if the voice I’m hearing is God’s voice? When I was in high school, I found myself asking this question. My dad was a pastor, and I was feeling called to ministry. I didn’t know if I was just hearing my dad’s wish or the call of God. I was worried I was confusing the two. It turns out, I did know. I knew because I was raised to recognize the presence of God all around me. Once I knew what God’s presence felt like, I also knew what God’s voice sounded like. There is a...

Keep Reading

Go Easy On the Parents Who Refuse to Skip Naps

In: Kids, Motherhood
Two little boys and their sister walking down a gravel road, color photo

Greetings from a mom who is done with napping children. It’s great to have the flexibility during the day for longer activities, meeting friends for playdates, or day trips to faraway places. It’s a new life . . . the life without naps. The freedom to make plans and keep them. But not that long ago, I was something very different than the flexible, plan-keeping, up-for-it woman I am today. I used to be the mom who refused to skip my child’s nap. Yep, that one. Here’s the thing, for a lot of parents, It’s so much more than just a...

Keep Reading

My Heart Isn’t Ready for You to Stop Believing in Santa

In: Kids, Motherhood
Little boy standing in front of lit christmas tree

“My friend doesn’t believe in Santa anymore, Mom,” my son said out of the blue the other day. We were driving in the car, and when I met his gaze in the rear-view mirror his eyes searched mine. Immediately, my heart sank.  This sweet boy, he’s our first. Thoughtful and smart and eight years old. A quick Google search tells me that’s the average age kids stop believing in Santa, but as his mom, I’m not ready for that—not even a little bit.  I can still hear his barely 2-year-old voice going on about reindeer as we lay together on...

Keep Reading

Dear Kids, This Is My Wish for You

In: Kids, Motherhood
Mother hugs three kids

To my kids, The world you’re stepping into is unlike anything I experienced at your age. It’s fast-paced, interconnected, and sometimes overwhelming. But within this chaos lie countless opportunities for growth and joy. My wish for you is that you find the perfect balance between embracing the modern world and staying true to yourselves. Change is one thing you can always count on. Embrace it because it’s often the motivation for growth. Embracing change doesn’t mean letting go of who you are; rather, it’s about evolving into the best version of yourself. Remember, you don’t need to have all the...

Keep Reading

Motherhood is a Million Little Letting Gos and Fresh Hellos

In: Kids, Motherhood
Mother sitting with child on her lap by the setting sun and water

I missed my grocery-shopping buddy the other day. Mondays are usually the days my littlest and I knock out our grocery list. In the past, we’ve dropped the kids at school and then headed to the store. I grab a latte, and she chooses a hot chocolate. But that day, they were all in school. That day, she sat in her kindergarten class, and I went to the grocery store. Alone. A new rhythm. A changed routine. A different season. I listened to a podcast on the drive. My podcast. Then I grabbed a drink. Just one. I got the...

Keep Reading

Dear Daughter, Stay Wild

In: Kids, Motherhood
Mother and daughter on beach, color photo

I can’t really put my finger on it. Or manage to find all the words. But there’s just something about that girl. Maybe it’s the way her hair sits tangled. Curled up at the end. The way she moves. Dances. As if everyone was watching. Or no one at all. RELATED: There is Wild Beauty in This Spirited Child of Mine It could be the way she smiles. With her heart. The way only she can. The way she cares, loves. For everyone. For herself. You see, she is beautiful in the way only wild things are. The way they...

Keep Reading

You’re Becoming a Big Sister, But You’ll Always Be My Baby

In: Baby, Kids, Motherhood
Pregnant woman with young daughter, color photo

The anticipation of welcoming a new baby into the world is an exciting and joyous time for our family. From the moment we found out we were expecting to just about every day since, the love and excitement only continue to grow. However, amidst all the preparations for the new addition, I cannot help but have mixed emotions as I look back at old videos and pictures of my firstborn, my first princess, my Phoebe—for she will always hold a special place in my heart. As the anticipation grows, my heart swells with a mix of emotions knowing we are...

Keep Reading

Cowgirls Don’t Cry Unless the Horse They Loved Is Gone

In: Grief, Kids, Loss
Little girls Toy Story Jessie costume, color photo

The knee of my pants is wet and dirty. My yellow ring lays by the sink—it’s been my favorite ring for months. I bought it to match Bigfoot’s halter and the sunflowers by his pasture. Bigfoot is my daughter’s pony, and I loved him the most. The afternoon is so sunny. His hooves make the same calming rhythm I’ve come to love as I walk him out back. A strong wind blows through the barn. A stall labeled “Bigfoot,” adorned with a sunflower, hangs open and I feel sick. I kneel down by his side as he munches the grass....

Keep Reading