I can think of a million different cliche sayings about the rate at which time passes. I can’t count the amount of people who told me to enjoy my childhood because it’s gone so quickly.  Too many people told me to cherish every moment of the newborn baby stage with each of my sons. Soon, they’ll be on their way to adulthood. There are also so many memories where time seemed to stand still. Watching my son being airlifted to Children’s Hospital. Scott asking me to marry him. My very first kiss. Time never stands still … cliche but true. Time just continues on while the immensity of each moment dictates how we feel about it.

I spent some time with a high school senior this weekend. She’s going to be 18 next month and she wanted to have her portrait taken in Seattle. She is beautiful, smart, funny and full of life. I couldn’t help thinking about what high school had been like for me. How even though it was almost 13 years ago that I graduated, it doesn’t really seem like that long ago. As I photographed her, I was struck by how much of her life she has ahead of her. She has so much time to be whatever it is she wants to be.

It was so much fun to get to know her. We talked about her plans for the future, prom, her boyfriend and more. We drove around Seattle. Her Mom was so proud of her. You could see just how much she loves her every time she looked at her. Remarkably, in a few years, I will be right where her Mom is: Watching her baby grow into an adult right before her eyes. This girl is well on her way. I can’t wait to see what she does with her time ahead of her …