Looking back, I remember days that seemed like they would never end. Days with a cranky toddler who would not be mollified. Days when the laundry, school forms, backpacks, lunches, overdue library books, and dishes felt overwhelming. And, even very dark days filled with loneliness when I would think: “Is it all worth it?”

My daughter is now eighteen. She is legally an adult.

How did this happen? She can now buy lottery tickets, vote, drive her friends, obtain a credit card, join the military, and even sign a legal contract.

Somehow the days that never seemed to end turned into weeks, months then years. They flew by.

Now we look back at pictures and videos with fondness and nostalgia, laughing at what seemed so very important at the time. We hold on tight to each other with anticipation, hope, and love. The future holds so much possibility and we are poised to turn the corner and travel to new destinations. Still mother and child, but now a mother with an adult child—a relationship molded by the past and soon to be shaped by the future.

We stretch out our days, hoping they will go on forever. Happy birthday, sweetheart.