I Love You This Big...

When my kids were little, they used to ask all the time one of two questions: Who do you love more? and How much do you love me?

I answered the first question the same by giving each one a special thing I especially loved that child for. I loved the way Robert went to bed, the way Lauren wanted to "cuddlebug" after her bath, and the way Josh was such a sweet personality who didn't argue or fight.

They've grown up now, and more have come into the family. They don't ask anymore how much I love them. I guess that's one of the things that fades as they grow. I'm thinking they are moving into that phase of having to answer those questions for their own kids!

 Last night I was doing some things around the house, trying to find things, putting things in order, and just thinking. So I decided to put my thoughts down about my love for them~the kids, their loves, and their kids. Some are current and some are from times gone past. There are stories behind some of these that the kids will get even if other readers don't. And they're the ones that matter :)

                                                         I Love You This Big

How big do I love you?

I love you big enough to give you all my house chargers for my phone.

I love you big enough that Santa still comes to see you, even though my oldest is 28.

I love you big enough to board Christmas presents you forgot to take home.

I love you big enough to add another job description to my titles...gymnastics coach.

I love you big enough to make our yard look like a home daycare.

I love you big enough to have a baby bed in a house of grown-ups.

I love you big enough to drive to Florida for a grown-up play date.

I love you big enough to shop regularly in the baby/toddler section.

I love you big enough to quit a really good job because you missed me :)

I love you big enough to travel for one million miles to ballgames and see you play or cheer.

I love you big enough to teach for almost nothing so that we could be together at a great school.

I love you big enough to make baby-friendly foods a part of grocery buying.

I love you big enough to listen all year for ideas for Santa to bring, even if you might forget what you say.

I love you big enough to pray for you as you travel, as you work, and as you sleep.

I love you big enough to share you with the love of your life.

I love you big enough to spend the grocery money on cheer shoes or football cleats or basketball shoes.

I love you big enough to drive a vehicle big enough that all the babies can ride with us.

I love you big enough to give up Saturdays to wash your clothes for your next week of work.

I love you big enough play tee ball in the yard even though the temperature is 117 in the shade.

I love you big enough to come to college and take you clothes shopping because you got cold.

I love you big enough to get your baby to sleep and then put her in the bed with you.

I love you big enough to help with school papers/resumes/job applications/emails/etc.

I love you big enough to want you to have more and better than we have.

I love you big enough to help you get more and better than we have.

I love you big enough to wish I could take your place in hard situations.

I love you big enough  to buy chewable Tylenol to keep on my desk at school.

I love you big enough to go on grasshopper hunts and nature walks.

I love you big enough to be jumped on and dragged under in the pool.

I love you big enough to go on 1000 golf cart rides a day.

I love you big enough to drop the in-law at the end of son and daughter.

I love you big enough to dip your chicken and french fries in ketchup (I shiver just thinking of it!).

I love you big enough to make sure we have A1 even if we don't eat it.

I love you big enough support your attempts to become invisible to Bambi and his family.

I love you big enough to buy extra coffee/ketchup/ranch/rice/chicken so we can help if you run out.

I love you BIG BIG BIG...bigger than I know how to say.