Knee high hugs

Today I’ve decided to write a less melancholy post. I think it is so easy to wallow in my sorrows and forget about the things I should be thankful for. The sun has shined this week, we are making progress on different things around our house and in our lives. My kids don’t stop growing up.

One of the greatest thing in the world is a knee high hug from the little sprout in your life. I’ve had a few of these over the years and now my biggest is giving me elbow high hugs. Where has the time gone? Today its time to pause and enjoy the little things and the little ones. The squeals of laughter the other night as ALL 4 of my kids played hide and seek without my help. This game was led by my oldest and it just warmed my heart to hear the laughter and the squeals and even little J age 3 counting on her own to at least 10. She’s so smart… but maybe I’m partial.

Some hugs come at full speed force, like from our energetic son D. He doesn’t do anything slow. He’s getting big enough, he has almost knocked me over in his excitement for a hug. Some hugs are long squeezes after a discipline problem. Some are quick when they start feeling awkward about a hug. One thing I am still enjoying is none of our kids don’t want a hug.

Some hugs are used to stall during bedtime.  Like when J lays down, all of a sudden she needs a hug and kiss from every person from our family.  She isn’t satisfied if you give her a pat on the back, it must be a full on hug with both arms and a squeeze.

Hugs are healing. They heal my hurt and my heart especially hugs from my children. My heart gets warm and my worries disappear as they squeeze.

When I was little my grandpa started giving me hugs over the phone. We lived far away for half my childhood.  I could always expect for him to give me the sound of a hug and a few smooches every time we said goodbye over the phone.  He did this up until he went to heaven.  He’d say as he hugged “squeeze the liver outta you ” sometimes he did squeeze me so hard I thought the livers would come out. I miss him oh so much but I’m so thankful for the godly example he was of love and commitment to God and my grandma.

Hug your little ones today and linger a little longer.  Maybe “squeeze the livers out of them”.  I sure will!

Signing off from one woman to another.

Jenny Wren