Kristin, First let me say that your daughter is beautiful - not just on the outside but from what you said on the inside too. Parenting is one of the greatest and one of the hardest things I've ever done and my two sons (16 and 22) have also taught me invaluable lessons about parenting and life. I don't often hear parents talk about how much they learn from their kids so your post really resonated with me because I do feel that I have learned (and am still learning) so much from my kids - from the people they are, what they think, how they cope etc.  Being a parent is one of the most transformational events in my life.  thanks for sharing this and Happy Birthday to your daughter.