A Kleenex-Worthy Post

Last night as I tucked Luke into bed, I snuggled him closely (as close as the belly allows for now), kissed him, and whispered in his ear, "I love you, little man."

Luke looked questioningly at me and said, "You know, Mommy, I already know that.  You don't have to tell me every day."

I smiled and replied, "I know, but I'm going to tell you every single day that I'm alive and that you'll listen to me say it."

Incredulously, he asked, "Even when you are old--like 64?"

I answered, "You better believe it!  EVEN when I'm One million and 64 years old and we are in Heaven, I'll still tell you every day."

He got quiet for a second.  "Mommy, do they have Facebook in Heaven?"

I half-grinned, thinking I knew where this was going.  "Umm, no, baby, I don't think they do."

With eyes beginning to tear up, he looked at some distant point over my right shoulder, "But, Mommy!  How will you be able to tell me that you love me if you die and I'm still here?"

A warm gush of tears filled my eyes.  I had to look away, too.  "You'll know it in your heart, Luke.  That's why Mommy tells you and shows you that she loves you every day now.  You'll always have that with you."

His voice choked as he inquired, "But what if I...(sob) forget?!?"

(Kleenex break.  I can't even type this without crying.  Whew.)

I assured him that there was no way that he could ever forget how much I loved him.  I hastily kissed him again, tucked him under the covers, and beat a hasty retreat to go have a good, old-fashioned ugly cry.

Today I took Emma and Luke to the cemetery where my great-grandparents, several great-uncles, and a great-aunt are buried.  Since this Sunday is Homecoming Day at our church, we typically decorate the cemetery with new flowers at this time.  We took  flowers to put on the graves of relatives that my kids never met, or were too young to remember when they passed away.

I explained to the kids that I know that I still carry the love in my heart that all of these family members had always shown me.  It's not something easily forgotten.  I think Luke feels better about it all now, but it served as a definite reminder to me that there should never be a day that goes by that I don't make sure that my children, family, friends, etc., know how much I love them.  I want them to carry that with them always.

Go love somebody today, okay?