The Walk Home.

This last weekend you asked me to take you for a walk. You didn’t mind if we didn’t take the dogs, and you didn’t mind if we didn’t go to the park, but you wanted to go “far”. You packed a brown paper bag with handles filled to the brim with stuffed animals and you buckled up your sparkle shoes. We didn’t make it to the end of the block before you got tiny rocks in them. You stopped by the grate to see the water, and then took off your shoes to dump out the pebbles. I helped you put them back on sitting by the side of the road. Then off on our adventure again. About 2 blocks later those dang pebbles again! I asked if you wanted me to take the shoes off and carry you home (we made it 3 blocks).. and you said yes reluctantly. I packed away your sparkle shoes in the bag and lifted you up to carry you home. As we walked, the wind blew through the trees, and the sun shone bright on this nearly cloudless day. Blue skies, birds chirping, and planes overhead as I said that I wouldn’t be able to hold you for many more years as you were getting to be a big girl. So I asked if I could always hold your hand… and you said “yes momma, you can always hold my hand”. And with that, you laid your head on my shoulder and you let go of the tension from the day and fell asleep in my arms. You long legs dangling in front, and sweet little arms down to your side, I held you tighter and pulled you in closer and breathed that moment in.  I walked past our home three times just to make sure you were fast asleep. And then for a moment I just stood quietly and breathed it all in. I watched the sun sparkle through the palm tress, stood silently with the sky, just as calm as my baby girl, and knew that this was a moment that I would never forget, but miss always. Oh how I want to just cradle you in my arms forever, sweet baby girl. To keep you safe, and give you kisses, and get lost in these moments of blissful love. With warmth on our faces, and the breeze in our hair, we came to the end of our very long walk home.

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