Dear Journal, It’s my mom’s birthday today. I know this piece should have gone up earlier, but I needed a moment to sit with my emotions. The goal here is to always be real, and today took me down memory lane in the best way. One of my fondest childhood memories of my mom was when my result got seized. I was worried sick, but instead of panicking, she simply said, “Let’s pray about it.” And we did. The result? Almost immediate. My result was released shortly after. That’s the kind of woman she is—faith-filled, unwavering, and always teaching us, sometimes without even saying much. She saw through all my little decoys, called them out before my dad (who was way too sweet to notice), and made sure we stayed grounded, even when we thought we had life all figured out. Happy Birthday, Mom. Your wisdom, your love, and your prayers continue to shape me in more ways than I can count. Love, Aby 💕