Encouraging Words

I've done something to my ankle and I cannot walk or stand and put any pressure on my left foot. The result is that I am hobbling, hopping, limping and shuffling through the house. I frequently make pain filled, incoherent noises when I accidentally hit my foot on something or put more pressure on it than I intended.

Angie has watched closely all day as I gingerly manuever through the house. As I was trying to walk into the kitchen (with much whimpering and leaning on inanimate objects for support), Angie said, "Come on Mommy! You can do it!"

This is your morning wake up call

Today, Angie woke up very early.

Really very early.

Before I stumbled out of bed early.

Suddenly through my sleepy haze, I heard the "thump, thump, thump" of tiny feet pattering through the house. The next sound I heard was the sound of the bathroom door being opened and a tiny, enthusiastic voice said, "Hi Daddy."

Chas then forced me to get out of bed and deal with the small child--any energy he gained from the shower was sapped when he realized she was wide awake and he had lost his ease into the morning and do some work routine.

Angie and I read the very hungry caterpillar book and a book about Animal friends while cuddling before I jumped in the shower.

After the shower she kept running to me to request that I share my cereal with her (she ate about one third to one half of my breakfast). Then she started on the bagel Chas toasted while I dressed for work.

She was playing with one of her puzzles when I bent down to kiss her good bye. She looked at me sadly and said, "Mommy gotta go." I hugged her and she forlornly said, "bye-bye."

This made me want to stay, although it was a vast improvement over her recent morning good byes to me: Ignore me and run over to Chas saying "OH DADDY! I'M SO GLAD TO SEE YOU. AHHHHHHH." Then she would look back at me to verify that I had seen her display of affection as if to say, "see what you are missing Mommy." Sigh.

According to Chas, she fell asleep around 8:30 a.m. having filled her belly.

Hello and Good-Bye

Today our family received the wonderful news that one of Chas's cousins gave birth to her much desired, long awaited first child. We rejoiced.

Later this evening my mother called to tell me that my cousin's husband had finally succumbed to injuries received in Iraq. He leaves behind a daughter a few months younger than Angie and a soon to be born son. I can only imagine the grief my young cousin is experiencing. I cannot imagine trying to explain to such a young child that she won't see her daddy again.