She's back!

Imagine if you will deep belly laughs so intense tears run down your face and you can't catch your breath. Imagine that laughter being part of a perfect day over silly things like swimming with a dog in a creek or watching three week old kittens climb over one another seeking the perfect yet awkward location for a nap. That happy child was my seventeen year old on Memorial Day and the joy of it all literally brought tears to my eyes. She is back. She is happy, carefree and ours. She has finally been released from the hold of someone who didn't deserve to be in her life. She is hugging us, letting us in and laughing. God the laughter, I have missed it. The relief is immeasurable. Her strength and resolve so much more determined than before. We thought we had her back once before but the threats and social implications were too strong for her to resist but not anymore. He's done his best but has failed. We've got our daughter back.

She's no longer crying. She's not even angry. She is simply relieved and so are we. Watching and praying her through this journey of rebellion and naive "love" was anything but easy. We struggled and wrestled with decisions. We wanted to bubble wrap her and lock her away but knew she had life lessons to learn throughout this eighteen month relationship. The lessons were painful for her to endure and for us to observe; however, I know without doubt she will move forward in life caring far more about the character of the people she allows into her life.

We are proud of her. She is pretty wonderful but she still won't allow me to take her photo. So here's one of her best bud. Kate couldn't resist snapping this one when Brutus snuggled in under a shrub in our landscape last evening.

photo credit Kate Ryan