This year marked summer #9 that Ashleigh came to stay with us. True, her visits have gotten shorter than in the beginning when her little girl self would move right on in for a month. And true, it's been several summers since I used to have to force her to bathe (by refusing to french braid her hair until she washed it). But the one thing that is the same is how summer just wouldn't be summer without some time with Ashleigh.

There was one difference this year though. Every year from the beginning, I would always choose some sort of craft or project to work on together while she was with us. One summer is was a quilt for her room, another summer was scrapbooking, and yet another summer had the two of us learning new recipes together and her cooking whole meals for us. This summer? She chose the craft, she bought the supplies and she did the teaching. With Caroline. I just snapped pictures and tried not to cry as I watched it all come full circle.

We love our Ash and have told her every year that she better not ever be too cool to come start the summer for us. Caroline said it best when she said, "Well, she's my girl." Indeed she is.