It does fly right past you.

It's amazing how often people say to us about our daughter, "Enjoy her now.  The time flies so quickly."  Malena will be 10 months in just two days and I already can't believe how much she's changed.

10 weeks old 1 week old

I also can't believe how much I've changed.  I always imagined that "romantic" love was the deepest, fiercest, most altering love among human beings; but there is nothing like loving a child.  I think in really simple terms I sought acceptance, companionship and teamwork in a marriage relationship; as a mother I ache to GIVE everything to this most amazing of beings, my daughter, so that she can become everything that she is and know without a doubt that she is beautiful, delightful, eternal, intentionally designed, knit together with excitement and joy, created in love by a wonderful God, that she is loved and someone who can give love to others (no small thing).

The amazing thing, the utterly astonishing thing is that I am loved like this.  My mottled, imperfect love for Malena is a wonderful but muddy reflection of the dimensionless love of my Heavenly Father and I am that valuable to him.  So is every person walking around.  

So here's to the amazingness of loving and being loved.  And here's to a little girl who has opened up a whole new chamber in my heart.  :)