06/28/2025
Eighteen.
Eighteen years ago, I was just a nineteen year old Marine whose entire world changed the moment they placed that tiny baby on my chest. Now I have an adult child, and the feeling is nothing short of bittersweet.
I’ve had the honor of a front-row seat to his life, watching him grow into the man he is today. I’m endlessly proud. But what they never tell you is how much it hurts to let go.
I’ll always be his mom, but now my role shifts from protector to guide, from holding his hand to cheering him on from the sidelines. This is the start of his next chapter, and mine too. Lord knows the best thing I’ll ever do will be growing up raising you. Happiest birthday, Aedan James.
