My other daughter

I'm going to a wedding this weekend, the wedding of my 'other daughter.' She's not my flesh and blood, she's not an adopted daughter; she's a daughter of my heart, my other daughter.

I first met this other daughter of mine when she was a little pixie of 8 years old. My husband took the church here in our little town, and her family faithfully came every Sunday. She wound herself around my heart, a little more with each passing year. I watched her grow into a teenager and watched her go through things that would be hard on anyone, much less a teen: her parents divorced, her sister and nephew were in a terrible accident that left her sister with a brain injury and her beloved nephew just a sweet memory that we still shed tears over. Many teens would have rebelled against God and their parents, but not my other daughter. She moved away with her mom for a short time, then came back to live with her dad, taught Sunday school for us, remained faithful to God. She spent many days at our house, and that was just fine with me. I watched her grow into an older teenager, watched her graduate from high school with honors. I mourned when she left for college, loved it when she came home for holidays. During the summer she was at our table for many meals because her dad is a farmer who works long hours and her step-mom is our town doctor who also works long hours. That was fine with me. It was always a joy to set another place, to be able to spend a little more time with her. The first summer she didn't come home, except for a short visit, was hard. I missed her at our table. But she was growing up, spreading her wings, which is as it should be.

And now, my other daughter is all grown up. We watched her walk down the aisle to graduate from college this spring, again with honors. We were incredibly proud. And we will be incredibly proud this weekend when we watch her walk down the aisle to marry a fine Christian man. My husband will marry them, one son will play the piano for them, one daughter will be a candle lighter...I will be the 'other mom,' proud as can be of this 'other daughter' that holds such a special place in my heart.

I love you, my other daugher...