The Big 4-0

Next week I will be 40. The BIG 4-0. Today was a crazy, thoughtful day. On Friday I watched my oldest one graduate from high school, we discussed her scholarships (music major- oh I am SO proud) and I had a series of "Mom" moments.
"Mom" moments. You know what they are. They are the lovely feelings pride and sadness that come over you when you see your beautiful child do something wonderful that you have taught them to do, and they actually do it without your help. My 18-year old girl, standing there, getting handed her diploma in front of hundreds of people caused this. It started when I looked in the program and saw all of her accomplishments. All "A"'s all year. Presidential Award. Governer's Award.....on and on. Then it was finally her turn to be up there, and it was all I could do to stop myself from leaping over the crowd and screaming, "Wait! I'M not ready!" What was she doing growing up on me like this?
Then she saw me. She found me somehow in that crowd, and I knew it would be okay. My girl was still my girl, but she was a woman. She was probably the most grown up young lady out there in that sea of hundreds of light blue gowns. Her dad was at war for the third time, her mom with cancer, both grandmothers had cancer and one not surviving it....this girl was a fighter. She must have felt the "moment" coming on, because she winked and smiled. Yeah, she's ready.
I guess being 40 is going to mean nothing compared to this. Being 40 means that I have two more daughters that will someday be "ready" to face things. They will need me, but no more than I need them. We are a unit, the four of us. Maybe that's what the "4" in 40 stands for. Ten times the average.