Our Girl Grows Up

Well, today is the day.
Mariah is moving out.

Here is one thing that seems to be true: We all must grow up. Mariah gets that same opportunity. She finally has the opportunity to learn to love her independence, to be her own woman, to take control of her decisions and destiny.
An exciting day!
I think she is finally starting to feel a little bit of excitement now that she's moved some of her stuff over and started setting up her space, and is hopefully going to understand and embrace that we are here to help her and support her.

Here's something sort of ironical:
It was the fourth of July last year that we learned our good friends, Mariah's foster family, were moving. Being Mariah's Young Women's President, naturally my mind instantly wondered about where she would be going and who could possibly take her. I tossed and turned all that night until the morning when the thought came, certainly not of my bidding, "maybe YOU are supposed to take her."
Not really what I was looking for.
But the thought wouldn't go away.
So later that day, I asked the Double B: "Not that there is a right or wrong answer to this question, because there is not -- but what would you think about us taking Mariah?" He was silent for a few moments and then answered "Let me think about that for a few days."
But to my surprise, later that afternoon he told me he felt like that is what we should do.
Scary.

That was July fifth. So one year ago.

Three months later, she was in our house.
And the adventure began!

There have been very good times, very bad times, very challenging times, very funny times, very let-me-pull-my-hair-out-by-the-roots-now times. Now the Double B and I have parented a teenager. Which was sort of a baptism by fire, if you will. Not the easiest job in the world.
But we have learned to love Mariah very much. I loved her like crazy as her yw leader, but now she is someone who has lived in my home and been a big part of my family life over the last year. Our whole family loves her. Our kids are crazy about her.
And I will say the same thing about her that I did at the beginning:
This is a girl with a heart of gold. An absolute heart of gold. This is a girl with so much potential to do good and choose good.
We are proud of her accomplishments and expect great things for her and from her.

Tonight it might be a little weird making sure everyone is tucked in bed -- the girls can finally stretch out a little in their room, and K.J. gets to have HIS VERY OWN ROOM, which he is very excited about -- and not have Mariah there. But it will be a good thing. It is time.

She's going to do great.
We love her and always will.

And that is the close of a most interesting story in the home life of The Family B.