Just Emme and me

One of my new favorite times of day is from around 8:00 - 8:30 in the morning. In general, this is the time when the sprint to get the little girls ready and out the door with Travis is done, Emme is dressed, her hair is done and her shoes are on and I'm ready to go also.

It is only 30 minutes, but it is 30 minutes of uninterrupted time for my first born and me to simply be together. Just. the. two. of. us. Some days we read. Some days we snuggle on the couch and watch Martha on PBS. Some days we finish packing lunch. Some days we chat about the day before, the day to come, or something coming up. Quite frankly, I've learned that it doesn't matter what we do during that time.

This morning, on the eve of Miss Emme's 6th birthday, we talked about what happened on this day six years ago—the day before she was born. I recounted how I worked that day knowing that it would be my last day in the office for the next 12 weeks. On October 19, 2005, 12 weeks seemed like an eternity. On October 20, 2005, I realized that 12 weeks would pass more quickly than I ever could have imagined. I recounted how we left Riggs at home with Grandma Jules and went to the hospital that night at 9:00, so excited that we would be meeting our baby girl the next day. I also admitted to Emme that I was a little scared. Then I recounted to Emme how in one moment—the moment that she entered the world and we heard her cry—our world changed forever, in wonderful, amazing ways that we never could have dreamed of or anticipated.

She didn’t ask any questions. She didn’t make any comments. She smiled and then changed the subject. She was listening though. I know that today this story was mostly for me. I also know that someday Emme will be so very grateful and know that this story was always for her.