Mothers and Daughters

It was such a blessing to be able to go to Europe with my three girls.  They are all grown up now, with lives of their own, and opportunities like this will rarely happen again I know.  While this was Katelyn's graduation trip, she turned it into the Dodd Girls' last hurrah when she invited her sisters!

This trip was Nicole's first time away from Claire and that is a big deal in the life of a mom!  She handled it well and thanks to technology was able to face-time with David and Claire daily.  At times she could be seen gazing at pictures of Claire on her phone and in the gold locket she wore.

It is interesting how our children (and grandchildren) are the great stabilizers in our worlds.  I can be caught up in the everyday or, as in this case, caught up in a fabulous trip in Europe when the words of a child will stop me in my tracks...On our last night in Paris I was packing while Nicole face-timed with David and Claire.  Periodically I would holler out "where's Claire?  where's Gigi?" and then I would pop in front of the ipod so Claire could see me...and she would laugh.  Nicole was telling David something about the day when I heard Claire hollering (cause that's what we southerners do...we holler) "Gigi...Gigi...Gigi..." 

Oh yes, that was a first!  And I will always remember I was in Paris on July 20, 2011 when she first said my name!! 

So as I move into this next phase in my life...you know that one in which my girls won't daily run into a room with something momentous to share (not that they do that on a DAILY basis now by any means), I realize there are things to look forward to...:)