31

She is 31 today.

My oldest child.  The child who made me a mother.

My stepdaughter.

Who is as much my child as the 3 children I carried in my womb.

My oldest daughter.  She came as a package deal with her father.

He walked into our very first date carrying a photo of her.

He made it clear she was his priority.  I admired that.

It seems like just yesterday that she first became a part of my life as I was falling deeply in love with her father...and with her.

I cannot even remember what life was like without her.

I met my Crystol Erin 20 years ago in the spring of 1993.  She was 10 - almost 11.

Now she is turning 31.  How can that even be?

She and I - we've gone through a lot together.

She taught me how to parent.

She's the first one I taught how to do so many things - like how to drive and so many more things that are private.

She's the first one who taught me so many things - like how to love a child unconditionally and so many more things that are private.

She's the first one I watched walk across a high school graduation stage, a bachelor's degree graduation stage, a master's degree graduation stage, and then a second master's degree graduation stage.

She's the first one we moved in and out of dorm rooms and apartments during the college years.

She was in the delivery room when I gave birth to Luke.  She was 20 1/2 then.

She's the first one I had to let go of when she became an adult.

She's the first one I watched walk down her wedding aisle, on the arm of her brother... 

...to marry the love of her life.  

She's the only child of mine who was there both the day I married her dad and the day we watched him die.

As I said - she and I - we've been though a lot together.

And she has brought me such joy over the years- this oldest child of mine.

(her June 3rd birthday, 2012)

I did not carry this daughter in my womb and I did not give birth to her.

But she, along with my other 3 children, will always be carried in my heart.

Happy 31st Birthday, my Crystol Erin!

I love you!