Letters From Tim

The girls are growing. They have really become buddies. They play together, wrestle, and occupy one another’s world. I figured that they have only been apart on two occasions in their lives. It is hard for me to imagine what it must feel like to have a companion always.

In an attempt to get them out more, we went to the gym several times last week. Every time I left them with dramatic tears. When I returned on one occasion, they were sitting as close as they could possibly get with their stubby legs stretched out in front of them. They were in the middle of an enormous room of wild, loud children but to me they looked like the only two in the room. They were completely engaged with one another.

Tonight, my neighbor, Sylvia, stopped by out-of-the-blue (I love that!). After she stayed awhile, she had a train of my children accompany her home. Briggs wanted to play with her son. Gage wanted to follow (of course). And, Campbell was promised a spa bath and blow dry! Off they went.

So…for the third time in their lives Campbell and Emerson were apart. Emmy and I read books, tried on summer clothes, played with her pink cowgirl boots, and organized their closet. At one point, I looked at her and said, “Kind of boring without everyone but the quiet is kind of nice.”

As I stared at their drawers I thought…this is going to change so fast. I see a lot of pink and lavender with an occasional mint green splashed into the mix. I see a lot of footie pajamas and sundresses. But I know soon that I’ll be washing tank tops and jeans that barely cover their booties (and not the kind they wear on their feet).

Given the circumstances of the last year, I have been ecstatic with each new milestone they have reached. I knew it got us closer to Tim being home. I knew somehow (hopefully) it would make daily life seem a little easier.

I was thankful when they could finally walk, when I made them give up their bottles cold turkey on New Years Eve, when they finally slept through the night, when I didn’t have to watch them both descend down the stairs on wobbly legs, when they finally would sit through an episode of Sesame Street so that I could also sit, when they could actually fetch their own shoes (matching not a prerequisite) and so-on.

But as I stared into their closet tonight, I was hoping to not see training bras occupy those drawers any time soon. I would like the progression to slow down now so that Tim and I can really enjoy raising our family.

FROM BEGINNING TO PRESENT

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Special thanks to…Jill Gardner for all of the hand-me-downs. You scored some major points with the castle. Jen Mourfield and Sue Ledvina for the perfect kind of dinner…Chick-Fil-A. Shelly Savage for more kid-friendly food. And…Dick Wolfsie for giving me the opportunity to finally give to someone else by answering a ‘Bucket List’ request. More on that one later.