May 7

As I write, Abby is at the Metreon in San Francisco experiencing her Senior Ball. Big group activities aren't really her thing, so my prayer is that she's absorbing and enjoying the waning moments with her fellow members of Amador's class of 2022.

Although she didn't make her dress this go-round, she found one that captured the princess vibe she wanted. After trialing a few different looks this past week, she did her own hair and makeup. And by the time I dropped her off at the school at 4'ish to catch a chartered bus to the city, she'd already been to two friends' houses for pre-party activities (and photos! Because duh, we mom and poparazzi want those pics).

We started off at Gracie's house, where I snapped the memory on top. A little later, we headed over to Alyssa's, where Abby swapped out her strappy heels for the comfy, sparkly pink tennis shoes she bought this morning at Walmart. 

It's such a blessing to look at these images because she's known some of these girls for a long, long time, even if their respective circles haven't always overlapped. There's Gracie from church and dance in the far right on top, who has long held the Best Friend title. There's also Holly, in the center on top, with whom she's commiserated over yearbook deadlines and English classes and shared many a ridiculous meme and boatloads of sarcastic repartee.

On the bottom left, there's Sarah, who along with her brother was part of a playgroup with Abby and Logan way back when the girls were two and three years old. And a few girls over is Alyssa in green, who was Abby's prayer partner in the Zebra room at preschool when they were four.

So yes, looking at these images is like a journey through time. I'm shell-shocked that we're already here; that AP tests are over (for Abby, anyway) and that graduation is three weeks away and that her high school career is almost in the books. I mean, wasn't she just at Sarah's brother's first birthday party? And didn't she just sit in circle with Alyssa in Ms. Christina's class? 

But I'm also grateful for these moments and for these girls who have been --and hopefully will continue to be-- her encouragers and partners in silliness. Good friends are a blessing, and I am thankful that my girl has a few of her own.