In case you didn't know, Rachel is my daughter.  Her and her brother, Sean, are my life's priorities; the reason the sun rises and sets; they are my heart.  This girl is simply amazing in so many ways.  Nothing stops her.  She beautiful, intelligent, kind, gentle, and funny.  In the past few years, I have watch road blocks get in her way.  She just leaps over them.  I have seen people treat her unfairly.  They have given her lemons, she made lemonade.  Her brother has always been my husband's, she has always been mine (to the extent that we really don't belong to each other, but you get the point here, don't you?)

   Recently, we had the joy of spending time with her during her semester abroad in England.  There is something bittersweet about seeing your child living in a foreign land.  I love how she has grown and is thriving there, but it's hard to see her grow up and realize that in a few short years, she'll be on her own, and the green apple room at the end of the hall will sit pretty much empty. As a family, we had an amazing time, walking cobblestone and brick streets drinking high tea at a castle and watching Rachel play volleyball for the university.  It was a dream week and I'm so glad we had the experience.

   I wanted her before there was a "her".  She had been living in my mind even before I met her dad.  I don't think I could have created or imagined anything better.  She is wonder and awe personified.  A "bad day" with her is better than a "good day" doing anything else.

   I take tons of pictures of her, and to be honest, I got back into photography because of her.  She's generally an easy model, listens well, does what I tell her, and truly appreciates the art I create.

Rachel

   Who has your heart?  Are you capturing those special "Memories in Time"?  Let me help.  If you can't tell, it's important to me.

  You can stop reading now if you want.  This last bit is for her, if she reads this, but I don't mind sharing it with you...

What would I do, if I didn't have you to wake up to each day?

Who'd take my troubles and put them in bubbles and make them burst away?

And where would I find the innocence that tells me, "it's okay"?

If I didn't have you to wake up to, each day?

Rachel, always know that wherever you are and whatever you do, my heart goes with you.  I'm so proud of you and love you more than words can ever express.