Conversations with home

I just got off the phone with my Blake and my Allison. They were both already tucked into bed. How tired and sleepy they sounded as we talked. Allie was sad, but refused to tell my why because she said she didn't want to make me sad. She misses us, and her little heart is hurting because of it. I told her it would only be 10 more days until she came to visit and she replied, "That is way too long to wait." I am looking forward to spending some wonderful time together with that little lady. I hope to bake cookies, build gingerbread houses, make some jewelry, decorate our Christmas tree, take her shopping, and so much more. My list is growing and growing. I am counting the days until I can brush her hair and lay next to her in the bed drawing pictures on her back with my fingers. I miss her so very much.

Blake told me how hard he is trying to do things with Allie so that she will not think about missing me and Ashley. He is very grown up and carries this burden so well. I look forward to hanging out with them. As we talked I began to smile as I realized the responsibility he feels towards protecting the girls. He knows that God has placed him in a very important place in our family. Not only is he the oldest child, but God gave him 2 sisters to take care of. We have talked many, many times about how much God must trust him to allow him to watch over Allie and Ashley. Tonight Dave shared with me a precious conversation he had with Blake before going to bed. They were washing their hands at the sink and they were using one of the bottles of soap that I bought from Bath and Body Works before I left home. As Blake rubbed the soap on his hands he asked his dad if he could just go to bed without rinsing it off. Dave said, "Why would you want to do that?" and Blake replied, "It just smells like my mom, and I don't want to wash it off yet." My eyes filled with tears when he told me. My son misses me and wants to feel close to me. My heart broke for the lonliness he must feel at this time in his life, but it also smiled that he would want to "smell" me as he drifted off to sleep. This is a memory that I will treasure for my lifetime!

I am blessed. Blessed beyond anything I could have ever asked for or imagined. I have a son who loves me and misses me. I have a daughter who is so concerned about my feelings that she holds on to hers and fights back her tears. I have a baby who depends on me to help her make it home to be reunited with her big brother and big sister. I have a husband who although he is tired manages to hold us all together, and I have a Father in Heaven who is with me every step of the way. He is loving us, protecting us, taking care of us, providing for us, and forgiving us. Tonight as I lay on the bed singing songs about snowflakes to my Ashley and watching them turn above our heads I am reminded that this life I have been given is a good one. It is one that I would never want to trade. I love to call home and have night time conversations with my family. It makes me thankful and it makes me count the blessings He has bestowed on me.