Don't Miss the Moments

This is the evolution of my amazing daughter Brianna over the past seven years as we have traveled to Salt Lake City to experience the Young Women's Broadcast together.  (This year it was changed to include all women age 8 and up.)
She has blossomed like a rose and I don't realize it until I look back over these pictures.
This trip is something we both look forward to and this is our final year together before she heads off to college in the fall.  It was supposed to be the capstone of a fabulous tradition.
This year's trip took an unexpected turn, however.
We have stayed at the same hotel for the past four years and it has been the perfect place to crash for the weekend.  It's within walking distance to shopping, eating, and the broadcast.  When we pulled up yesterday to check in, our reservation was nowhere to be found.
NOWHERE.
As I frantically scanned through the emails on my phone to find my confirmation of booking, I looked at the address of the hotel I booked.
It was by the airport.
Miles from where we needed to be.
I was devastated.
While this may seem a little thing, to me it is huge.
Like GINORMOUS.
You see, I have an exam first thing Monday morning and I was hoping to sneak in as much studying as possible last night and today.
This exam is big.
I have to do well on it.
There's also a multitude of information that I need to know.
Staying within walking distance would enable me to study in between shopping, eating, and the broadcast.
Staying by the airport would cut out precious hours of study time.
I felt completely overwhelmed and at a loss as to how I was going to get it all in.
My clarity came overnight.
This is what I realized.

THIS is my job.
First and foremost.
Through five years of school, I have struggled to find balance between my first job as a mother and my responsibility to be more in God's kingdom.
I oftentimes feel I'm on the losing end of the battle, but I believe that's the Adversary trying to drag me down and get me to quit my pursuit of becoming a nurse.
But I firmly think that yesterday happened for a reason.
I need to spend one last weekend with my daughter, no distractions or studying allowed.
I easily forget that if I put my priorities in the right place, if I do all I can to help myself, God will make up for what I lack.
He knows what I need, but more importantly, He knows what my daughter needs as well.
Come what may on Monday, I did what was right by my sweet Girlie today.
I have no regrets.
I am a mother.
FIRST.