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| Love & gratitude: I want to hold you this close forever {pic by me} |
I watched a youtube clip last night. It only went for five minutes. But it's done something to me.
Changed me? Maybe. I'm not sure. I think so.
Moved me? Definitely. Something's shifted.
I watched it and I cried. I watched it and I held my baby closer.
All the while I kissed her softly a hundred times. And then a hundred more.
Because every day I get to see her, and love her. I get to watch her squirm and reach for her toys, and make her cute little baby noises. Every day I get to pull funny faces and blow raspberries on her tummy, just so I can hear her laugh.
And every day I get to hold her big sister's hand as we skip down the hallway. I get to roll with her on the carpet, crawl through tunnels and practise our yoga. I get to build towers of blocks with her, dance to nursery rhymes, read the same story book 10 times and cuddle.
Every day I cook three variations of the one meal for dinner, I clean baby vomit and a toddler's spilt milk. I pick sultanas up off the floor and I shower with a two year old.
Every day I relax a little extra when my hubby walks through the front door. And every day I look forward to the moment I can slip into bed and rest my head on his shoulder, and look up into his eyes.
And I can't imagine one day when all this isn't my reality. I never want to.
I watched this clip and I cried. It showed U.S. soldiers returning home from duty and suprising their children. The expressions on the children's faces... overcome with love, excitement, love, happiness, love, wonder, joy, love.
I watched and I felt overwhelmed. But mostly I felt grateful. Grateful that I get to look into my babies' eyes every day, no long waits in between. Grateful that I get to look into the eyes of the man I love every night, no long waits in between.
Below is the youtube clip. I think you may cry watching it too. But if it makes you a tiny bit extra grateful, that's not so bad is it?
Elisa xx
{You can watch "Soldiers Surprising Their Loved Ones" here. I stumbled on this via Mamamia. And I'm grateful it was there xx}
{Oh, and I'm joining Kidspot's 52 Weeks of Grateful project this week - a link-up of grateful blog posts. You can find it here. I'll write about why I'm taking part soon.}
What are you feeling grateful for today?
>> Interested in receiving my free mindfulness prints and "breathe" meditation eBook? I can't wait to soon send them your way. You can sign up for them here. <<
You are an amazingly powerful writer, this piece made my throat get chocked up, heart beat faster and tears fill my eyes. I adored it.
ReplyDeleteGratitude is an amazing thing... We all have so much to be thankful for
I'm grateful for the sensational weather today as I walked my big darling to school. making me feel alive and Ohh so happy. Then home to bake yummy jam drops with my darling little cook. I love days like these, I was feeling grateful before I read you're piece, and now even more so. So lucky indeed to enjoy these days with our babies . :)
ReplyDeleteWoa *sniffs*...my little girl goes nuts when Papa comes home from work in the evening. Imagining 7 months or more and not knowing if they'll ever come back. Doesn't bear thinking about. Grateful indeed xx
ReplyDeletei feel grateful to be reading this post. it was beautiful. i know that feeling all too well that you speak of between you and your baby. mine are 12 and 3 now...and that love grows stronger every day. xo
ReplyDeleteThank you. You totally made me cry.
ReplyDeleteI'm grateful for the knowledge that although my heart aches right now for a baby in this current state of infertility, I have a wonderful husband to cuddle each night and the hope of many of the moments you described to look forward to in the future. Xo
Thank you all for sharing - so so much to be gratful for xx
ReplyDeleteJess, I wish you all I wrote about and more xx
Gratitude is indeed a beautiful thing x
ReplyDeleteIt's true. Something changes you when you have children. These images affect us more.
ReplyDeleteI remember as a child watching my mother cry at the news. It was because she was a mother watching families been torn apart. I didn't understand it at the time, but I do now.
Enjoy each moment with your beautiful baby.
Happy grateful day.
yes tears definately, I think it's partly those little kids looks of sheer relief, must be so hard to miss their parents being away from home for so long, but even worse the olders ones must know their lives are at risk. Grateful to not live in a country at war, my mum didn't recognise her dad when he returned from war, so thankful for relatively peaceful times.
ReplyDeleteIt is beautiful. So simple and so beautiful. And your words are beautiful too. x
ReplyDeleteThank you - yes indeed so so much to be grateful for xx
ReplyDeleteKymmie, so true - something inside really does change when you become a parent. xx
Oh Elisa, this was just such a beautiful post. Thank you for linking it up with us today.
ReplyDeleteI believe that when you become a parent of your children, you become a parent of the whole world. x
Gorgeous post. I haven't watched the clip, I don't need to. For some reason, as you've mentioned, I cry uncontrollably whenever I see any soldier arrive or depart. It's like I can experience their emotions wholeheartedly when in reality I probably haven't got a clue.
ReplyDeleteMaxabella, thanks for providing the link up and fostering a community of gratitude - I'm grateful you have xx
ReplyDeleteMiss Mandy, I know exactly what you mean. It does that to me too xx
what a beautiful post, elisa. it's easy to forget all these wonderful blessings in the day to day.. my girlfriend's husband is in the navy and they have moved several times and he has had three or four six month stints at sea where she has little contact or knowledge of where he is.. his first deployment was a week after their wedding, and they now have two small children. I honestly don't know how she does it.. a beautiful post, a beautiful reminder x
ReplyDelete@Tahnee - thank you! I don't know how your friend does it either. Another reminder of all I have to be grateful for xx
ReplyDeletewow that is a very moving post & sometimes we need to realise how lucky we are and be grateful for what we have. It's good to take each day & enjoy your little ones as they grow up so quickly. It's good to be reminded, thank you, I'm off to give all my sleeping kids a cuddle & kiss:) Nx
ReplyDeleteoh bless, yes I don't know how the soldiers do it...man it must be hard. I love just being in the moment and trying to lock away memories...time..it is againist us all.x
ReplyDeleteOh, love, this is SUCH a gorgeous, gorgeous post. At the moment, we are only seeing Dreamboy once a week... and when he comes through that door and Diva spots him... it makes my heart melt. My hat goes off to those with longer waits than us in-between. One week is more than enough. Thank you for reminding me to be grateful. X
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