Watching her I couldn't seem to blink back the tears that were welling in my eyes. Here was my little girl, somehow having grown into a woman right before my eyes. She was expecting a child of her own and seeing her bulging stomach as her little boy grew inside her, I wondered where the time had gone.

It seemed like only yesterday when I watched her adoringly follow her big brother around the house, mimicking his every move. Or her feisty spirit as she rescued her little brother from the ball pit at Chuckie Cheese when he was getting buried by bigger boys. I remember her sailing down the irrigation ditch, floating on the sleds with her best friend Megan, not a care in the world. And her determination when she swan all 100 laps during the swim-a-thon even though she had just joined the team.

But now we are waiting for her son to be born. Can I just admit? I've chewed off all my fingernails thinking about it. I'm so excited and yet, nervous. Soon she will be a mama and the little girl that has been my princess will transform. Gone are the bedtime stories, the back rubs, and quiet lullabies in the rocking chair. But I can see her doing the same with her son. Again, those tears threaten to spill.

As the torch of motherhood moves to the next generation, I can't help but wonder....was there more that I could have done to prepare her? Will she mind that I still think of her as my baby? Will she have too many of those "I'll never do that like my mother" thoughts? Probably...but regardless, the sands of time have moved on. But I dare not let my mind wander too far into the future. Even though we've had months to think and prepare, it's hard to even imagine her with a child. And yet, it is going to happen, and soon.

Tonight she's home relaxing as labor seems close. I'd love to give her one more back rub, to lay in the dark next to her, and visit a bit. Because tomorrow, it could all change. Tomorrow she could be holding her own son. And she will know a joy that can only be known by a mother. She will understand how you would throw yourself in front of a car if it meant saving your child. She will know the fear of a fever, the pain of an owie, and the way your heart melts with a simple smile. She will feel the level of defense that will rise up inside if someone makes fun of or hurts her son's feelings. She will understand how deeply one can love another, simply because they are your child.

Tomorrow, she could be starting the most exciting role of her life. Tomorrow, she could begin to understand how deeply she's been loved all these years. Tomorrow, she could be overwhelmed realizing the weight of responsibility that comes with having a child. Tomorrow, she could recognize that no matter how much we love them, they are loved even more by God. And so, before we say our goodnights, I will give her one more kiss as my baby because tomorrow, she could be holding a baby of her own.

A new chapter begins. And as we turn the page, I want to pause and thank God for the journey, for the chance to have a daughter, for the joy of being a part of her life as she moves into motherhood. I can hardly wait. Yes, my fingernails will grow back just as my daughter will grow into an amazing mom. What a joy to witness my own daughter become a mother....maybe even by tomorrow.