I have a confession … I really like my daughter a whole lot! In fact, the older she gets, the more I like her. Oh, the challenges of parenting a teenager are real and the stakes just keep getting higher. But seriously, I love that we have real conversations in the car and that she borrows clothes from my closet. I have tried to love every season of parenting — and for the most part, I really have. But what I’m noticing now is no so much that I like the season more but I like HER more.

We spent two weeks away from home in June. During those two weeks, we spent about 20 hours alone in the car. I loved it! I didn’t think I would. I figured we’d get on each others nerves and both be miserable.

Instead, we laughed {a lot!!}. We sang a lot of songs from “Frozen” really loud. We stopped for potty breaks {a lot!}. We wondered if the GPS was crazy. And we talked about life and faith and boys and college and dreams.

It was fabulous!

We can be very alike. We’re both high maintenance {poor Scott!}. We’re both a little bit dorky. We both are easily annoyed especially when sleep deprived.

We’re also very different. She doesn’t enjoy reading {I know, heartbreaking!}. She has way more fashion sense and style than I do. She is much less serious than me.

But there’s also this, she is so much more confident at age fourteen than I am sometimes at age forty-two. She’s a loyal friend and a compassionate leader. She’s passionate and hilarious, creative and tender-hearted. And I wish I was more like her.

Someone asked her when she was younger who her hero was and she said, “My mom because she is awesome.” And now I feel the same way about her.

Being a girl mom isn’t always easy and there are so many days I feel like a total failure. But when I see who she is and who she is becoming, I realize what a gift it is to be a part of shaping this wonderful creature who will one day have her own home, her own family. And I find myself humbled at the privilege of molding and training and investing in this beautiful girl.

Sweet mommas, whatever season you are in with your girl, can I just remind you of this — you’re not alone and the work you do is Kingdom investment. These girls of ours will be wives and mothers, teachers and doctors. They will serve and encourage and the time we spend now pouring into them will have eternal reward for countless others.

Don’t give up on the hard days and celebrate big on the good days. It’s a worthy thing we do!!

Much love,
Teri Lynne