My kids are my everything, and I wanted to introduce them to you! Now their real names are not shared out of respect of their privacy, instead each has a nickname. This is not an exhaustive introduction just a glimpse into their stories. 

 I tend to think of the kids in my life in three circles: 

•  The outer circle includes all kids that I have ever worked with in any compacity.  

• The middle circle is comprised of my girls, that small group of girls that I have worked with that have shared life with me and allowed me to share life with them. I compare this to kind of how Jesus had His inner circle of the twelve disciples. (No, I am by no means comparing myself to Jesus Christ!!)  

• Then you have my inner circle! The girls I call my daughters; these girls have connected with me on a much deeper and more personal level. (Kind of like how Jesus had His core three disciples.)  

My Cheerleader was a strong and beautiful young lady. She was more guarded at first. Being one of my first girls, I defiantly made mistakes with her. But I have never stopped loving her and cheering her on. I had a few firsts with her, some that I look back on and love, while some I wish I could go back and handle differently. I absolutely love seeing the amazing life she is living now! 

My independent One was very strong willed and outgoing. A total goofball that could make you laugh till your sides hurt. I was with her for several ups and downs over the years, including the loss of her grandpa. She was also the first one that I ever called DCS for. She has had her wilder moments, but I know deep down she has a strong heart that going to take this world by storm.  

My Angel, oh my I am not sure how to accurately describe this little spit fire! Me and her have most definitely have had our good times and bad. She was one of the first ones to ever start calling me momma. I even learnt softball for this child! I walked with her through fights with friends, bad breakups, first kiss, graduating high school, and dealing with deep personal things. We have gone through close seasons, and seasons of silence. She was the first one to come to me as an adult to say how much she appreciated me. I love seeing the young lady she has grown to become.  

My Princess is such a quiet and caring girl! She can light up a room like no other. Some of my favorite memories are our late-night text conversations. I have been so honored to walk with her through first boyfriend, first kiss, high school graduation, starting her career, getting married, and dealing with so many deep personal things that were firsts for me. Our relationship has been tested hard, but she still told me I had to be at my daughter’s wedding! She has grown into such an amazing wife and mother. I could not be prouder of her! 

My Doodle Bug was a big lesson of things I done well and done horribly. However, one of the biggest lessons I learned from loving her was “love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres” which is 1 Corinthians 13:7. She is the first one I ever grounded! She tested everything but I truly believe she just wanted to see if I meant that my love had no end and I would be here no matter what. We had some amazing fun times and shared some tears. She has grown to be a great young lady!  

My Firecracker did not hide the fact that she loved me as a second mom, even calling me mom in front of her mom, in fact her mom would refer to her as our kid often! She is not shy in the least, very strong, always knew what she wanted, and a big smile! To me it was an honor helping this young lady wether it was talking about boys or friends, family or school. I love that even now when she sees me out, I get a big hug!  

My Quiet One was definitely shyer and had walls up all around her heart. She didn’t trust easy nor quickly. But she melted my heart just the same. She has a beauty about her that is inside and outside! I got to watch her come out of her shell and blossom. I did make one big mistake with her that costs me our relationship. But I still get to watch her life through social media, and I am so proud of how far she has come.  

My Warrior, currently my youngest church daughter. She is beyond talented, smart, kind, caring, strong and so very brave. Even though I have not known her as long as I have my other girls, my love is no less! Her faith in God is so strong that it encourages me to become stronger. This young lady is most definitely going to change this world! I wish I had met her years ago, but I have enjoyed every moment of getting to know her. We have also had our ups and downs, but no matter what we always work it out. She is incredible! 

Each of these girls has a different story, and none of them were guaranteed. It is not always great times with them; some days have been a struggle. But loving them has been one of the greatest honors of my life. This is just the beginning- I can’t wait to share more of them with you! And if any of them read this: I see you still, I love you still, and I am beyond proud of you!!