Blessed are the mothers of tween girls–
the ones who’ve outgrown mermaids, 
Barbies, and princesses
but aren’t ready for dating, driving, 
cell phones, and string bikinis.
Blessed are you, the mama bears
and the helicopter moms
the confident moms and the unsure moms.
May you find respite from the whiplash
when it seems your girl has gone from 
nursery rhymes to The Life of a Showgirl 
in the blink of an eye,
and those paper-thin nails 
you used to trim with baby scissors
now drum impatiently on the kitchen counter
perfectly manicured.

Blessed are you,
mother of a tween girl
in the Sephora aisle.
You are a good mom
whether-or-not you let her
buy that bronzer and body glitter.
May the God who helped David 
slay Goliath
help you suppress your own inner 12-year-old
when things get heated
and she shows up,
ready to spar with your daughter.
May you be the mother you needed at her age:
a sturdy cedar
a wise redwood
a graceful willow
with weeping branches 
for protection
a shady place for rest. 

May the aroma of freshly brewed coffee 
greet you each morning
and may that coffee be strong–
God knows you’ll need it today
as you draw back the covers to wake your little girl. 
Only,
she is not so little
anymore. 
Halfway between kindergarten graduation
and high school graduation
nearly your height,
always right,
and an expert at the eye roll of exasperation.

May you humble yourself 
as you usher your daughter
from cutting teeth to braces,
cradle cap to body odor,
diaper rash to training bras,
midnight colic to charting cycles.
May you acknowledge the pain
of heartbreak and evolving friendships.
And may you teach her 
about the beauty change can bring.

May you delight
in the fact that the same feet 
that once fit in your hand
now stretch longer than your own.
May you find joy
as you bear witness 
to her becoming.
May you know how to 
nurture, encourage, cultivate,
inspire, and trust. 
As she blossoms and blooms, 
may you always point her 
toward the sun.

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This post is a part of the blog tour for Small Steps: Blessings to Lift Your Soul on the Pilgrimage of Life. Small Steps by Kimberly Knowle-Zeller is a book of blessings meant to meet us in our daily lives, in all of the challenges and joys, struggles and triumphs. A few of the blessings include: For a Rough Morning, Listening to a Dream, Learning to Pray Again, and For an Ordinary Tuesday. Order your copy on bookshop.org or wherever books are sold. (link is an affiliate link)

Looking for more words about books, motherhood, life as a geriatric millennial, and finding beauty in sacred/ordinary things? Subscribe to my newsletter, Late to the Party. Every month or two, you’ll receive a short note from me, short book reviews, and a journal prompt.