Day One Reflections: She’s Growing Up

Day One Reflections: She’s Growing Up

As the evening winds down, Barbi and I are finally settling into the quiet. We’re both unwinding after a long day of travel, heart-filled conversation, and the emotional rhythm of saying goodbye. Bella Love is officially checked in for her second year at Junior Team USA Development Camp, and tonight she’s on her own—surrounded by coaches, teammates, laughter, and the kind of challenges that help shape more than just an athlete.

It’s hard to put into words what this day really meant. Watching Bella at the ITRC—confident, calm, bold in the way she connected with her teammates, laughing between drills, soaking in the environment—was a revelation.

She’s growing up.

Last year, when we dropped her off, there was a little more nervousness, a little more of us needing to step in, guide, reassure. But this year? It was different. We didn’t have to hold her hand. We just had to let her go. And as hard as that is, it’s also what makes our hearts full.

We watched her engage, compete, encourage, and enjoy—fully present, fully herself. There’s something surreal about sitting in the same place where it all began, seeing the same ball returns, the same flags overhead, and realizing that the girl who once rolled her first few shots nervously down the lanes is now here training with some of the best in the world.

She’s not just becoming a better bowler. She’s becoming a remarkable young woman.

As parents, there’s a kind of peace that settles in when you can finally step back and just watch. Not manage. Not fix. Not guide. Just watch. And what we saw today was maturity, grace, joy, and strength.

Our hearts are full tonight—not just because of where she is, but because of who she is becoming.

And we wouldn’t trade this day for anything.