Big Love

It's been a pretty spiritual week for Grace. She witnessed her first baptism and her first wedding, in different churches, with different people, but you could easily tell God was present in all of us.

Baptism took place at Mamaw/Papaw Tallcake's church with a girl in her pre/early teens. Their interim pastor got all dolled up in his wading trunks and moved to the baptismal pool.

Grace: What's that?
Me: That's the baptismal pool. That's where Ashley's going to be baptized.
Grace: It's a pool?
Me: Yeah, but it's a special pool.
G: Oh, it has fishies in it?
M: No, no fishies.
G: Sharks, then?
M: Nope. No sharks. It's holy water.
G: Hmmm.
She thought a bit and listened to Brother Noah say Ashley had chosen to go to heaven at the end of this life because of this decision.
G: Mama!! She gets to go to heaven!
M: Yes, she does, honey. When she dies, she'll go to heaven, if she follows God's rules.
G: Me too?
M: You bet.
After the immersion,
G: I wanna go in there.
M: You will, honey. You will. Someday. (with tears in my eyes)


At the wedding of a very grown-up Brady Gerdts, whom I've known for the last 7 years or so, and his beautiful bride Emily Rowden Gerdts.
G: Mama, I wanna see the princess.
M: You will. She's coming through those doors.
G: Is that her prince?
M: Yep. That's Brady.
G: Prince Brady.
M: Yep.
G: What's the princess's name?
M: She's Princess Emily.
G: I love her. She's so pretty.
M: I know. This is when they get the ring.
G: I want a ring.
M: You'll get one, honey. When the prince marries you.

At the end of the wedding, the bride & groom escorted the guests out.
G: I wanna hug the princess.
M: She wants to hug you too.
G: (beams with pride)

Emily: I don't think I've ever met you.
G: You're so pretty.
E: thank you. (hugs her twice) (Grace beams the whole night!)

At bedtime,
G: Mama, when I get big, I'm going to have a big white dress.
M: Yep.
G: And I get my ring.
M: Uh-huh.
G: And a cape (she calls the veil a cape); and a crown, and I want Daddy to be the prince.
M: Daddy's my prince, honey. You'll have to find one of your own.
G: And I'm going to be beautiful, like Princess Emily.
M: You already are. And you love God, like Princess Emily does too.
G: (matter of fact) I know.

A mom can't ask for anything more.

Keeping safe

So Grace and I have a nightly ritual. We read a book, turn off the light, talk about the day, things for tomorrow, briefly, then I lay with her quietly for a few minutes. The perks of only having one child. So during our quiet time, especially during days when she's missed me during the day, she asks to hold my hand during our quiet time.
What that means is, she has me lay my hand on her tummy, and then she lays her hand on my arm. She's been doing this off and on for several months, but last night was the first time I asked her why she did this.
Me: I love you, Milly. (my nickname for her - silly milly baby girl - reduced to milly)
Grace: I love you too, Mommy.
Me: Just three minutes, okay?
Grace: Okay. Mommy, can I hold you?
Me: Sure. Why do you do this?
Grace: To keep you safe.
No pauses, not a thought except the truth. And safely kept am I.