This past Saturday, Ansley graduated from high school. Its been an exciting, crazy, emotion-filled weekend. As we watched her walk forward, heard her name called, and she received her diploma, my mind went back 13 years to her first day of kindergarten. I recall taking her picture as she prepared to hop in the van with Lisa, and head off to her 1st day of school. I remember thinking about all the years ahead for her, and now I sat there, 13 years later, watching those years come to a close. A chapter of her life is closing, and a new one is about to be written. As it is for our family, as well. I sat there, watching her from afar, full of pride, nostalgia, and even a little sadness. She is preparing to enter college, young adulthood, and the wide world before her. She's not a little girl anymore...and yet, she'll always be my little girl. I sat there praying for her, wondering if we had done enough over the years, hoping she will remember all we had tried to instill in her life, and God reminded me, "She will. I gave her to you, you committed her back to Me as a child, and she's in My hands."
Her future is bright- she is brilliant, beautiful, and motivated. And she is God's. I am grateful to be her earthly father. And she will always be my little girl.
Rob