My Girl, Age 7

R. turns 7 years old today. There is so much I could say about her, and about the experience of raising her. But it's "too much" to share here.

What I can tell you is that she is smart and strong-willed, just like her namesake (my late grandmother). And that at the tender age of 7, she has faced more "real" issues than many adults have. Sometimes, her insights stop me in my tracks. Recently while we were playing Freeze Dance, she told me, "Remember, Mommy, it's not about the 'outs'. It's about the music."

Happy birthday to my first baby. I hope you always hear the prettiest melodies playing. Love, Mommy

Photograph by Jason Lindberg.