30 Days of Thanks - Day 16

Today (and every day) I'm thankful for:

My daughter, Nikki.

Nikki is incredible.  She's beautiful inside and out.  She loves photography (like her mom) and animals (like her mom).  She wants to make her living working with animals.  Whether it be at Sea World training dolphins, or working with Jack Hanna, or becoming herself the female version of Jack Hanna, she has dreams. When she refocuses her energies, she'll eventually go to Moorpark College in California.  Moorpark is a teaching zoo.  She went to Bush Gardens in TX as a child and swam with the Beluga Whales.  I think that helped push her in the direction of really wanting to be in the trenches with animals.

She even likes snakes, thanks in part, to the Jr. High School Slithers class.  I would not put baby mice in my freezer to give to the Slithers teacher for just anyone. (Yuck!)

She's also amazing with children. I think that's because children can sense a pure heart. Nikki is patient and loving. We've been through a lot together and individually. She was a big sister for 3 short weeks. She's learned several times that not everyone in this world can be trusted.  She's had to grow up fast, despite my trying to capture time in a bottle and keep her little forever.  Time sure does go fast, at least when it comes to how quickly our kids grow.  Then it can slow way down to an excruciating pace when they leave home.

Nikki is so smart.  She taught her mom how to play chess (though I don't remember a thing), and learned how to drive a stick shift, despite her mom not being able to help coach her on a manual. She skis (not her mom) and drives half way across the country to visit a friend.  Independent, might be an understatement.

She has a huge heart and exudes compassion. She's my daughter.  For the past 24 years, she's largely defined my life.  I love being her mom and will always be so proud of her. I pray that she feels the strong foundation of home. And that despite the cold betrayal of some people in this world, she can always count on the unconditional love of her mom.  That there's always somewhere she can turn where she doesn't have to doubt, where she knows she's loved, where she can trust. Hurt my daughter and watch momma bear's claws come out.  Though she is a young woman, standing on her own two feet, I will always want to protect her. I'm not exaggerating or over-dramatizing when I say that I would lay down my life for her. Of course I would -- she's my daughter.

I'm grateful to be Nikki's mom, and grateful that we'll be spending Thanksgiving together.