Long squeeze before school

​The other day Joseph was rushing them out the door before school and I was trying to help. Chaos with getting backpacks, socks, last bites, and so on. Joseph and Eloise were in the truck and Conley grabbed one more thing. And then came and hugged me and just holding. It felt like the world stopped. I had a tiny inclination the pat his back and say get going but thank goodness didn’t. It felt like he just needed a battery recharge and was going to stay there until he got it.  

Don’t fall off the bed

​I lay by Eloise at night, and if I’m too far on the edge of the bed, she pulls me closer and like pats my back and bum. She will say funny stuff like, “You have no space” or “Get your body more on the bed.” It’s so funny. 

snuggles and reading books

 Conley is 10. He is not super physical most of the day; he'll back away when I try to kiss him or hug him too much. But around 7 PM or so, it's the sweetest thing, it's like his body and mind melts and he wants to be snuggled and kissed. I try to always respond to his signs--he'll stand right behind me or lean on me a little. And he always wants me to snuggle with him after Daddy reads to him at night. Last night he wrapped his arms around my waist and tried pulling me into the family room. I followed, and he'd picked a children's book we'd gotten from the library that he wanted me to read to him. It was so sweet. 

Also we have a rule that if he belches he owes me a kiss. He did it last night. Belched, and then came up to me and kissed my cheek. It was so amazing. 

Eloise opened the garage door to the house as Joseph and I were reversing out of the garage this morning at 445 to take him to the airport, waved, and made a half-heart with one hand. It was so cute. She was carrying a blanket and shielding her eyes, all sleepy but not wanting to miss saying bye to him. She told me later that she set her alarm for 4:02 so she could say bye and "waited a long time."

Field trip chaperone

Conley didn’t realize that I was chaperoning an upcoming field trip to the New Mexico Philharmonic at Pope Joy. After school the day before, I asked him if he was excited for the field trip, and he said no. Then I told him I was coming. He turned and smiled and said, “Really? You are? Cool!” It was so sweet and sincere. He really was happy and it made me so happy. It was a moment I just never wanted to forget. There are so many things that are great about him, but one of them is that he only says things he really really means. He never says things to make you happy or whatever. He’s just totally authentic. So when he says something like that it means a lot.

Funny saying

What even do you know this person about?

She smiles at me

I’m sitting at Eloise’s gymnastics class, just watching her while I listen to a book. She is so sweet. She consistently cares more that I’m there than that other people are there or who else is there. She loves seeing me at school or when I volunteer for field trips. She always runs up to me and hugs me. During gymnastics, she’ll make eye contact and smiles so big. She’s so sweet. Fills my heart.

Eloise loves me and I don’t deserve it

She does so many things that are just so precious. I don’t know what I did to deserve all of her deep love, but I’m trying to soak it all in and appreciate it. Maybe it won’t last, but then again, maybe it will! Here are a few specific things. I lay by here at night and read to her. I read something scriptural or from a Christian children’s book and then also a novel. Right now we’re reading Anne of Green Gables and both of us giggle a few times each night. Anne is just so funny! Anyway, Eloise just smiles at me and puts her arms around me and kisses me and wants me to lay by her after I read. She always wants me to read more than I do. And sometimes after we turn the light off and we’re snuggling, I’ll open my eyes and look at her and she’ll do the same to me and smile so sweetly. She tells me she loves me a lot and today she said I was the best mama.

she wants to go with me on nearly every errand I run. She comes with me to play prelude every single week. She’ll cry if I leave without her. She stayed an hour and 15 minutes after church with me today because I had to rehearsals. She had the opportunity to leave twice, but she wanted to stay with me. when I drop her off at school, she squeezes me so tight and kisses me, and then when she walks through the gate, she sometimes wakes her hand in the air toward me even if she’s facing the other direction. And then she stops right before she rounds the corner and puts her hands in heart shapes. And I do it back.

Yesterday she and Conley and I made a lemon tart together. It was delicious and they were so cute and helpful. For some reason, they love zesting and juicing lemons.