Because You Should!

No time to blog, so this one will not be edited.  I was sitting here, wasting time I should spend some other way, E came up and told me he wiped all the counters off and the kitchen was ready for me to make biscuits. I told him, "Thank you!  I knew I loved you for some good reason!" and put my hand out to catch his 'five'.  This began a game of 'slap catch'.  You know the game, you try to catch the person's hand when they are giving you five and they try to not be caught.  He was really good, so I finally looked at him and was smiling at the look of sheer determination on his face.  He was determined to not be caught by my hand.  I was not even close to catching him.  He started just sticking his finger on my hand and then he suddenly pulled back.  He got this funny, kinda wicked look on his face.  Then, suddenly, he threw his arms around me and gave me a big hug and held on.  I wrapped my arms around him and held on until HE was ready to let go.

Why is it so important I wait until HE is ready to let go?  Well, how many of those impromptu, unsolicited hugs from my Fabulous Firstborn will be coming my way in the near future?  He is getting so big, 10 years old, tall enough to make people think he is way older, hands starting to look like little man hands, and his feet are doing the same.  It won't be long before he may not want to hug me as much, then he won't be around as much and then, before I know it, I will blink and my firstborn will be out on his own.  I will blink again and he will be introducing me to a young woman he is interested in.  Another blink and he will be presenting me with beautiful red headed grand babies.  Just a blink and he will be off in his own life.

When the opportunity is presented, I hold on, tight, so tight.  I thank him for the hug and I tell him I love him.  In my brain, it is a moment of worship, not of my E, though he is amazing, no, it is a moment to worship God, who created this amazing kid!  All I could think was "Oh, thank you God!  Thank you!  We truly are fearfully and wonderfully made.  I know this full well.  Thank you for giving me this boy.  I know he is yours and you could have given him to any woman on the planet.  You let me be his mom and I am soo blessed to have him.  Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"  One little hug and I have tears in my eyes and my breath taken away.  This is what moms need to know.  One little hug can change your whole day. 

So, hug your kids, not just the little sideways obligatory hugs!  Scoop them up, squeeze them, love them, tell them they are wonderful and that you are so glad they are your kiddos!  Don't blink when you don't have to.  Hug them when they want to be hugged, not just because you should, but because someday you will want to and they won't be as easy to get a hold of.